Tonga Survive

Tonga dispatched the Irish Wolfhounds last night in their first match of the Rugby League World Cup, but not without a bit of controversy and hard nosed footy. Five-eighth Feleti Mateo was the man of the match but the villain was quite obviously English referee Steve Ganson who spent a great deal of the match arguing with Tonga.

Tonga was expected to manhandle the Wolfhounds but the Irish put up quite a fight to the bitter end. Now Tonga will use their narrow margin of victory as inspiration as they take on Samoa in what is being billed as the match of the Cup.

Meanwhile, the Kiwi's are licking their wounds after a 30-6 dismantling by the Aussies. They will play the Kumuls of Papua New Guinea who lost their opening match to England, 32-22.