As we all know by now, smoking kills. But it was the lack of cigarette sponsors in Tonga that nearly destroyed rugby league in the island nation following the disastrous 2000 World Cup in Britain.
Move on eight years and Tonga has over 1,500 registered players playing the game, the largest number of participants ever for Tongan rugby league.
Indeed, Tonga now boasts one of the most vibrant rugby league competitions in the Pacific islands and continues to produce outstanding players.
Currently they are the fourth best team in the world, behind the big three – Australia, New Zealand and England.
Although their record in World Cup competition has been way below par (first round exits in 1995 and 2000), this team now has the basis to finally come out of the shadows.
Tonga arguably possesses its strongest group of players ever, led by tough Sydney Roosters prop Lopini Paea.
Parramatta Eels star Feleti Mateo will form the foundation for the Tongan arsenal. His inclusion matches the importance of Benji Marshall for the Kiwi’s and Darren Lockyer for Australia.
If Mateo can fire, Tonga has more than enough able players to build upon the class provided by the Eels pivot.
Meanwhile, the Tongan backline is brimming with skill and power.
Penrith Panthers superstar Michael Jennings has shown enough potential in the NRL to blossom on the biggest stage rugby league has to offer.
No doubt he will be well supported by Newcastle Knights flyer Cooper Vuna and Wests Tigers beast Taniela Tuiaki.
New Manly winger Tony Williams will also add much needed strike for the ‘mate ma’a’
But it is Tonga’s forward pack that sets it out from most second tier nations, and perhaps puts it on par with the likes of Australia and New Zealand.
Most of Tonga’s front six have either played test football or Origin football at some stage or another.
Most of them still ply their trade in either the NRL or the English Super League on a consistent basis.
Names such as Anthony Tupou, Richard Fa’aoso, the Paea brothers, Fui Fui Moi Moi, Fraser Anderson, Epalahame Lauaki and Manese Manoukafoa will form a very formidable pack.
Coached by former Bulldogs premiership winner Jim Dymock, it is little wonder why most opposing nations are tipping Tonga as the premier dark horse in this year’s League World Cup.
Norm
Guest
Craig give yourself an uppercut.
Craig
Guest
Its OK everyone, just wanted to see if I could get a bite....Looks like I have the right bait.
Alan Nicolea
Guest
Craig I know where you are coming from mate. It is just early days for Rugby League globally after a shocking 2000 world cup. This 2008 world cup however has enough promise about it to perhaps lay a small platform for international growth. Teams such as Tonga and Samoa are calling upon NRL and Super League players now. I understand the lack of competition in League at the moment but everything has its roots. Even Soccer had to start somewhere to eventually find itself as the premier code in the world. All i am saying is international Rugby League will grow in competition and recogntion. It will take time (years more than anything), but it will grow nonetheless.
Westy
Guest
It never ceases to amaze me that some people look for confrontation. As league 's World Cup is a long way off Rugby's as Rugby's is from the football is so self evident you would have to be thick not to notice. I do not lambast AFL's recent international Cup as its aim is to promote the game to a broader audience I will not do likewise to league's World Cup. League gave its preference long ago to club football at the cost of international competition. I think for the sake of their game they are doing the right thing in again promoting the game internationally as best they can. League apart from football was the first to promote the concept of a World Cup in 1954 in France. Rugby was next but in 1987. Whilst I doubt league will reach the heights of the rugby world cup I do remember attending our first World Cup in 1987. Craig would do well to remember it was exciting but dear me fellow roarers it was a little amateurish. From small things big things have grown. I defend rugby to the day I die but I get sick of people like Craig who then invite the Leaguies to come back with the assertion Australian Club rugby is a joke. You see compared to their club competition it is. All these so called rugby people do not turn up or support thier clubs. Where were you for the grand final ? I do not know on what lunar landscape some rugby people inhabit but most of the blokes at my rugby club , that iI have played with or gone to a test or waratahs match with watch some NRL or have an NRL team becuase it offers a little old fashioned tribalism at a very good skill level and it beats our club competition for dead on most occassions. I went to our grand final and leagues are we kidding ourselves with the comparison and it was not just the crowd.......league's skill level was significantly higher Let them discuss their World Cup for what it is .........a much smaller version of our own but nonetheless a move in the right direction
craig
Guest
World Cup rugby league is a joke.... end of story
paul
Guest
Millster, they are sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanteclairs". I think you will find the Sydney Roosters in the NRL have a historical link to the boys from France and adopted the rooster emblem for this reason. There are some exciting developments tzking place in France and I expect the next world cup or even 4 nations to give evidence of this.
Millster
Guest
GO THE FRENCH !!!!!!!!!!! (Are they called 'Les Bleus' in League?)
Alan Nicolea
Guest
Oikee Here's to a successful world cup then.
oikee
Guest
Thats for sure, and at least we dont now have to compete with any other world cup being played, or the olimpics like 2000. Next world cup is 2013, which again does not overlap any other sport or code.
Alan Nicolea
Guest
Oikee Indeed this league world cup has more of a competitive edge to it bigtime. All teams have atleast one star player that can take control of a game. I hope this world cup provides the platform for future successes for the code. Compared to the 2000 world cup, the only way for international league is up.
oikee
Guest
Yes i realise you might not have seen that. If you look at the players out of the aussie side it has also been weakened, Crocker, Mason, maybe hodges, hoffman, and gasnier, the Kiwis have lost sonny bill, asatasi and frank pricthard. So all teams you could say are weakened but they still have players to cover, and bengi Marshal is finally injury free. At least the other teams have finally got depth, and this is what i have been saying, the game is starting to show some encouraging signs for the future, along with wales and lebanon not that far away the future looks even better. Cant wait for the cup to start, all teams will take something out of this , and the international game will get a well rewarded boast in funds to further improve the international game. It will be good to see the other nations playing in front of big crowds too. Forgot to mention the french team, nobody has even mentioned them. Could be a dark horse, they once one the cup.
Alan Nicolea
Guest
Oikee and The link When i sent this article into the Roar, half and hour later, Crocker was ruled out for Australia, and Anthony Tupou took his place. Of all the bloody players Australia could have picked, It just so happens they picked Tupou who had already been in camp with the Tongan national team. What a bloody coincidence. Despite Tupou's loss, i still think Tonga can surprise.
The Link
Guest
i'll put a bucket of KFC on Tonga reaching the semis.
oikee
Guest
Oh, and dont forget i tipped New guinea to beat england in townsville.
oikee
Guest
Alan, i tipped tonga before the start of the season on the rugby league world cup forum to be the dark horse of the comp, having read the rugby league magazine around june there was talk of how many islanders are now playing the game at the top level.(nrl, super league) This was growing as everyone could see but has really snuck up on the public this year, i think the figure the nrl gave was 10 percent are now islanders or kiwis and they expect that to increase to around 40 percent with-in 5 years, so what you will see this world cup is a much closer comp than most predict, even thow anthony tupou is now playing for australia they still have good coverage for him, 8 years ago this would not have been the case. Come next world cup you will see the island nations in a even better position. What has happened is a strong nrl and super league, that over the years has given so many opportunities for these island nations to play league, in return we have seen so much talent arrising from the island lads, even as far down to kids 16-18 are now being given a chance with the introduction of the under 20's comp. This in return has created more opportunity for island players to make a living from playing league at a early age. I did also mention the top quality of this competition (under 20 ) with very good skill levels at a early age, more credit has to go to the high level of coaching staff that league posess and will only keep getting better, i had noticed one lad getting a contract of 300 thousand and he is only 18. Rugby league has well and truely sown the seeds for the future and the next t/v deals will probably show this, there is talk of spliting the rights for the game up to acheive a larger slice of money, which is a possitive step as the game and talent continue to grow. Yes Tonga and Samoa will be strong, also Fiji and the Kiwi's have good teams, the super league has also produced some good Scottish and Irish players as well, come next world cup it will be a very tight comp, even this cup will surprise a lot of people.