2015 Pacific Rugby League Tests

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The 2015 Pacific Rugby League International was split into two games. The first was the Melanesian Cup between Papua New Guinea and Fiji. The second was the Polynesian Cup between Samoa and Tonga.

Results[]

Melanesian Cup[]

2015 (2015) Melanesian Cup  ()
PNG Fiji 10 22
1 2 Total PNG 0 10 10 FIJ 18 4 22
Date	2 May 2015
Stadium	Cbus Super Stadium
Location	Robina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Man of the Match	Marika Koroibete
Referees	Matt Cecchin
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters	Fox Sports Australia
Commentators	Joel Caine Braith Anasta Andy Raymond

On 24 December 2014 it was announced that Papua New Guinea would play Fiji and Samoa would play Tonga as part of a 2015 Pacific test double header. The 2015 Melanesian Cup was played between Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

With a half-time lead of 18 points, Fiji beat Papua New Guinea to win the Melanesian Cup title^[1] by score of 22-10. Fiji's Marika Koroibete won the player of the match award, scoring 2 tries. Papua New Guinea has not won a test-match on away soil since the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.

Fiji picked 6 débutantes for the test match, while Papua New Guinea also featured six players making their first ever International appearance. Both teams had NRL, Queensland or New South Wales Cup, and domestic club players. Papua New Guinea's most experienced players were Nene MacDonald, Ray Thompson, and Tyson Martin making their 4th appearance, while Fiji's most experienced player was captain Jason Bukuya making his 10th appearance.

Papau New Guinea Hunters' Israel Eliab captained his team, and Cronulla's Jason Bukuya led Fiji.

Match details[]

2 May 2015

Papua New Guinea	10 – 22	Fiji
Try: 52' S Albert 68' c Goal: (0/1) Zeming (1/1) 69'	Video	Try: Bukuya 20' c Koroibete (2) 28' c, 34' c Goodall 76' Goal: Koroisau (3/3) 22', 29', 35' Wiliame (0/1)

Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast Referee: Matt Cecchin Man of the Match: Marika Koroibete (Fiji)

FB 1 WG 2 Nene MacDonald CE 3 Thompson Teteh CE 4 Kato Ottio WG 5 FE 6 Israel Eliab (c) HB 7 Noel Zeming PR 8 Stanton Albert HK 9 Ray Thompson PR 10 Wellington Albert SR 11 Rhyse Martin SR 12 Tyson Martin LL 13 Luke Page Substitutions: BE 14 Wartovo Puara BE 15 Willie Minoga BE 16 Brandy Peter BE 17 Adam Korave Coach: Mal Meninga

FB 1 Kevin Naiqama WG 2 Marika Koroibete CE 3 Fabian Goodall CE 4 Brayden Wiliame WG 5 Eto Nabuli FE 6 Daryl Millard HB 7 Ryan Millard PR 8 Eloni Vunakece HK 9 Apisai Koroisau PR 16 SR 11 Jayson Bukuya (c) SR 12 Jacob Saifiti LK 13 Korbin Sims Substitutions: BE 10 Daniel Saifiti BE 14 Tyrone Phillips BE 15 Viliame Kikau BE 17 Osea Sadrau Coach: Rick Stone

Polynesian Cup[]

2015 (2015) Polynesian Cup  ()
Samoa Tonga 18 16
1 2 Total SAM 10 8 18 TON 4 12 16
Date	2 May 2015
Stadium	Cbus Super Stadium
Location	Robina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Man of the Match	Sam Kasiano
Referees	Ben Cummins
Attendance	12,336
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters	Fox Sports Australia
Commentators	Andrew Voss Greg Alexander Andy Raymond

On 24 December 2014 it was announced that Papua New Guinea would play Fiji and Samoa would play Tonga in the 2015 Pacific test double header. The 2015 Polynesian Cup was played between Samoa and Tonga.

Samoa beat Tonga to win the Polynesian Cup title.^[2] No more than a 6-point margin separated the teams throughout the game. In the 77th minute a try-saving tackle was made on Tonga's Jorge Tafua. He attempted to dive into the corner to score his hat-trick only to be knocked into touch with a hit by Samoan forward Sam Kasiano. The Samoans won the game, 18–16.

Samoa picked two débutantes for the test match, while Tonga featured four. Both teams' players were National Rugby League-based players except for Samoa's Michael Sio, who plays for Queensland Cup team Mackay Cutters. Samoa's most capped player was Daniel Vidot who made his 10th appearance, while Tonga's most experienced player was Richard Fa'aoso who also made his 10th appearance.

Match details[]

2 May 2015

Samoa	18 – 16	Tonga
Try: McGuire 24' c Vidot 37' Pritchard 56' Peyroux 70' Goal: Simona (1/4) 26'	Video	Try: Tafua (2) 28', 48' S Manu 52' c Goal: Langi (0/2) Kata (2/2) 53', 65'

Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast Attendance: 12,336 Referee: Ben Cummins Man of the Match: Sam Kasiano (Samoa)

FB 1 Tautau Moga WG 2 Pat Mata'utia CE 3 Joseph Leilua CE 4 Ricky Leutele WG 5 Daniel Vidot FE 6 Carlos Tuimavave HB 7 Tim Simona PR 8 Sam Kasiano HK 9 Josh McGuire PR 10 Sauaso Sue SR 11 Leeson Ah Mau SR 12 Frank Pritchard (c) LK 13 Isaac Liu Substitutions: BE 15 Dunamis Lui BE 16 Sam Lisone BE 17 Dominique Peyroux BE 18 Michael Sio Coach: Matt Parish

FB 1 Tuimoala Lolohea WG 2 Jorge Taufua CE 3 Konrad Hurrell CE 5 Mahe Fonua WG 14 Sosaia Feki FE 6 Samisoni Langi HB 4 Solomone Kata PR 8 Richard Fa'aoso HK 9 Pat Politoni PR 10 Peni Terepo SR 11 Sika Manu (c) SR 12 Manu Ma'u LK 13 Sio Siua Taukeiaho Substitutions: BE 7 Joel Luani BE 15 Ben Murdoch-Masila BE 16 Felise Kaufusi BE 17 Albert Vete Coach: Kristian Woolf

ANZAC Test[]

The 2015 Anzac Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. It was the 16th Anzac Test played between the two nations under the Super League banner since 1997. Both sides were announced on 26 April.^[3][4] The game was originally scheduled to take place on 1 May, but it was postponed due to weather^[5] until May 3rd.

Aftermath[]

On October 17, Tonga had a one-off battle with the Cook Islands in the Asia-Pacific qualifying playoff for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. The Tongans only led by 4 at the break before running away in the second half scoring 3 tries in the last 20 minutes of the game.

Before the game Tongan coach, Kristian Woolf, noted how players eligible for second-tier nations such as Tonga and Samoa were punished if they pursued an opportunity with an Australian or New Zealand Test or Origin squad. He made the complaint after Tongan internationals Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Tuimoala Lolohea played for the Kiwis in their end-of-year test series against England. Now, Tonga can't pick these two players until a 2-year period has passed. Woolf said "Some flexibility in those rules would certainly help in terms of helping your tier two nations becoming more competitive with your first-tier nations."^[6]

Other matches[]

3 October 2015

Niue	44 – 22	Cook Islands
	Report

Sydney

17 October 2015 20:00

Tonga	28–8	Cook Islands
	Report

Campbelltown Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 4,813

References[]