Tonga recorded their first-ever win over England in their opening pool clash at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup in Perth on Saturday night, with a 30-12 victory.
It was a Haumole Olakau’atu double that inspired the Tongan XIII to the win.
The win is the Pacific nation’s first over England in their history and helps avenge a two-point loss in the 2017 World Cup semifinal.
Kristian Woolf’s men repelled multiple waves of England attack before scoring twice in three minutes to turn a 10-6 lead into a 22-6 advantage midway through the second half.
England fought back through Dom Young before Haumole Olakau’atu’s second try with 10 minutes to play put the game to bed and secured a hard-fought 30-12 victory.
The result puts Tonga in pole position to progress to the semi-final.
With Samoa also winning their pool match against France, England must defeat France and Papua New Guinea and hope Tonga beats Samoa when the two Pacific nations face off at a sold-out CommBank Stadium in the final game of the group stage on 1 November.
A total of 18,302 vocal fans turned up at HBF Park, painting the stadium red.
Jason Taumalolo paid tribute to the players and the fans.
“We got a group of talented players and one thing that has brought this group of players together is the sacrifice they made,” Taumalolo said.
“Some of the boys could have played for the bigger countries. Forever grateful to the man above.
“Grateful for all the Tongan fans who turned up to support the boys.
“Obviously England was a tough game, talented players too. We were in for the fight the whole 80 minutes.”
Head coach Kristian Woolf said they put themselves under pressure a couple of times, but “the longer the game went the better we got”.
“The efforts were really important.”
Woolf said they had done extraordinary things before, by beating Australia and New Zealand.
He said it is a big thing beating Tier One nations.
Co-captain Addin Fonua-Blake said they regrouped at halftime and came back strong in the second half.
“It was a physical game. They capitalised on some of our ill-discipline.”
Fonua-Blake said they were able to swing the momentum back in their favour, after the initial English attack in the earlier part of the second half.
Tonga struck first in the match through Stefano Utoikamanu, and managed to keep a clean sheet in the first half as two Isaiya Katoa penalty goals made it 10-0 at the break.
England were finally rewarded for their effort in the 46th minute when Hugo Savala went through a hole.
A second English try appeared imminent before a high shot on Tongan winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak swung the momentum.
Tonga capitalised on the opening, Olakau’atu and Tolu Koula crossing for tries in successive sets to put their nation in control.
England cut the deficit to 12 through Dominic Young before Olakau’atu pounced on an Isaiya Katoa grubber in the dying minutes.
Tongan fans erupted with joyous celebration as the final whistle went.
