Tonga women's national rugby league team
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| Team information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Mate Ma'a Tonga | |
| Region | Asia-Pacific | |
| Head coach | Meg Ward | |
| Captain | Natasha Penitani | |
| Home stadium | Teufaiva | |
| IRL ranking | 14  1 (17 November 2025)[1] | |
| Uniforms | ||
| ||
| Team results | ||
| First international | ||
 4 — 44 Samoa  North Harbour Stadium, Albany, NZ 30 September 2003 | ||
| Biggest win | ||
66 — 8 Niue  Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, NZ 7 November 2020 | ||
| Biggest defeat | ||
0 — 54 Great Britain  North Harbour Stadium, Albany, NZ 2 October 2003 | ||
| World Cup | ||
| Appearances | 2 (first time in 2003) | |
The Tonga women's national rugby league team (Tongan: timi līki ʻakapulu fakafonua fefine ʻa Tonga), is under the former governing body TNRL. The first Tonga women's team was in 2003 and known as the Mate Ma'a Tonga women's team administered by the Tonga National Rugby League (TNRL) body. The newly formed Tonga women's national rugby league incorporated is under the Tongan Government with the national men's team. TNRL are no longer the national administrating body for Tonga Rugby League.
| Opponent | FM | MR | M | W | D | L | Win% | PF | PA | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samoa | 2003 | 2024 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00% | 20 | 114 | 14.93% |
| Great Britain | 2003 | 2003 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 0 | 54 | 0.00% |
 Tokelau | 2003 | 2003 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00% | 16 | 54 | 22.86% |
| Niue | 2003 | 2020 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | 80 | 22 | 78.43% |
 New Zealand | 2008 | 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00% | 26 | 120 | 17.81% |
| Pacific Islands | 2008 | 2008 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 14 | 44 | 24.14% |
 Russia | 2008 | 2008 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 12 | 24 | 33.33% |
 France | 2008 | 2008 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 4 | 34 | 10.53% |
 Cook Islands | 2025 | 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 24 | 42 | 36.36% |
 Papua New Guinea | 2025 | 2025 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | 42 | 6 | 87.50% |
| Totals | 2003 | 2025 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 15.62% | 238 | 514 | 31.65% |
Notes:
- Table last updated 2 November 2025.
- Share is the portion of "For" points compared to the sum of "For" and "Against" points.
Coaches
The current Mate Ma'a Tonga head coach is Meg Ward, assisted by Vanessa Foliaki.[2]
| Name | Tests | Nines | Ref. | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Span | M | W | D | L | W% | Span | M | W | D | L | W% | ||
| Unknown | 2003 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 10% | N/A | ||||||
| Tara Naite | 2008 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | N/A | [3] | |||||
| Andrew Emelio | N/A | 2018 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 50% | [4] | |||||
| Dion Briggs | 2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | N/A | [5] | |||||
| Milton Dymock | 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | N/A | [6] | |||||
| Kelvin Wright | 2023-24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% | N/A | ||||||
| Meg Ward | 2025 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% | N/A | [2] | |||||
Players
The Mate Ma'a Tonga squad for the 2025 Pacific Championships was announced on 7 October 2025.
Jersey numbers in the table reflect the Round 3 match versus the PNG Orchids
Tallies in the table reflect the match versus PNG Orchids on 1 November 2025.
| J# | Player | Age | Position(s) | Mate Ma’a Tonga | Club | NRLW | Other Reps | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dbt | M | T | G | F | Pts | CM | TM | T | G | F | Pts | ||||||
| 1 | Ana Malupo | 19 | Fullback, Wing | 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |  Cowboys | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2 | Moana Courtenay | 25 | Wing, Centre | 2025 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |  Bulldogs | 10 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | — |
| 3 | Fane Finau | 19 | Centre, Second-row | 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |  Knights | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | — |
| 4 | Martha Mataele | 26 | Centre, Wing | 2025 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |  Eels | 11 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 | — |
| 5 | Simina Lokotui | 19 | Wing, Centre | 2025 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Bulldogs | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — |
| 6 | Malia Tu'Ifua | — | Five-eighth, Prop | 2025 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 7 | Emmanita Paki | 22 | Halfback, Centre | 2024 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 18 |  Warriors | 11 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |  2 |
| 8 | Natasha Penitani | 25 | Prop, Lock | 2022 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |  Titans | 12 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — |
| 9 | Seli Mailangi | 28 | Hooker | 2022 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |  Rabbitohs | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — |
| 17 | Ruby Fifita | 25 | Prop | 2025 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |  Tigers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 11 | Shannon Muru | 27 | Second-row | 2022 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Bulldogs | 10 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — |
| 16 | Tatiana Finau | 21 | Second-row | 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |  Raiders | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 13 | Amelia Huakau | 30 | Lock, Second-row | 2022 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Tigers | 11 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — |
| 10 | Kalosipani Hopoate | 21 | Prop | 2022 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Bulldogs | 10 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |  1 |
| 15 | Jade Fonua | 28 | Lock | 2023 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Tigers | 11 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 18 | Pauline Suli-Ruka | 18 | Second-row | 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Bulldogs | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |  1 |
| 20 | Paea Uilou | 20 | Prop | 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Bulldogs | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 21 | Vanessa Foliaki | 32 | Second-row | 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |  6  6  1 1  1 |
| – | Manilita Takapautolo | 19 | Second-row, Prop | 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |  Sharks | 20 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — |
| – | Kaylani Tavita | — | Hooker | 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |  Magpies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| S | Aliyah Nasio | 19 | Second-row, Lock | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |  Roosters | 16 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| – | Lavinia Tauhalaliku | 26 | Wing | 2022 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Warriors | 3 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
Notes:
- Paea Uilou was added to the squad ahead of the Round 2 match and assistant coach Vanessa Foliaki was named as a reserve.
- The shading in the Clubs column of the above table indicates players selected from teams outside the 2025 NRLW.
South Sydney Rabbitohs (HNWP): Mailangi
Souths Logan Magpies (BMDWP): Tavita
- Malia Tu'Ifua played in the NSWRL Women's Premiership in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
- Several members of the squad have previously played for other representative teams:
New Zealand: Tauhalaliku
Māori All Stars: Suli-Ruka
Queensland: Paki
NSW City: Hopoate and Nasio.
- Players unavailable due to injury include: Tegan Dymock, Filomina Hanisi and Cassey Tohi-Hiku.
- 2024 captain Vanessa Foliaki from playing and was appointed as assistant coach to Meg Ward.[2]
Results
Full internationals
| Date | Opponent | Score | Tournament | Venue | Video | Report(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Sep 2003 | Samoa | 4–44 | 2003 World Cup | North Harbour Stadium | — | [7] |
| 2 Oct 2003 | Great Britain | 0–54 | — | [8] | ||
| 4 Oct 2003 | Tokelau | 4–28 | — | [9] | ||
| 8 Oct 2003 | Niue | 14–14 | — | [10] | ||
| 12 Oct 2003 | Tokelau | 12–26 | — | [11] | ||
| 6 Nov 2008 | Samoa | 0–40 | 2008 World Cup | Stockland Park, Sunshine Coast | — | |
| 8 Nov 2008 | New Zealand | 4–42 | [12] | |||
| 10 Nov 2008 | Pacific Islands | 14–44 | — | [13] | ||
| 12 Nov 2008 | Russia | 12–24 | — | [14] | ||
| 14 Nov 2008 | France | 4–34 | — | [15] | ||
| 7 Nov 2020 | Niue | 66–8 | Test Match | Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland | [16] | [17] |
| 25 Jun 2022 | New Zealand | 12–50 | Test Match | Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland | [18][19] | [20][21] |
| 21 Oct 2023 | New Zealand | 10–28 | 2023 Pacific Championship | Eden Park, Auckland | [22] | [23] |
| 19 Oct 2024 | Samoa | 16–30 | 2024 Pacific Championship |  HFC Bank Stadium, Suva | [24] | [25] |
| 25 Oct 2025 | Cook Islands | 24–42 | 2025 Pacific Championship | PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby | [26] | [27] |
| 1 Nov 2025 | Papua New Guinea | 42–6 | [28] | [29] |
Nines
| Date | Opponent | Score | Tournament | Venue | Video | Report(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Feb 2018 |  Canada | 8–4 | 2018 Commonwealth Championship | Dolphin Stadium, Brisbane | [30] | [31] |
| 23 Feb 2018 | Cook Islands | 12–4 | — | [32] | ||
| 24 Feb 2018 | Samoa | 0–20 | — | [33] | ||
| 24 Feb 2018 | Cook Islands | 0–20 | — | — |
