Queensland Reds to play historic international matches in Tonga

The Australian Government, Rugby Australia, and the Queensland Reds are continuing to support Tongan rugby through the Australia-Pacific Rugby Union Partnership (APRUP), bringing our nations closer together through a shared love of rugby union.

The Queensland Reds women’s and men's teams will travel to Tonga on July 26 to play historic international matches against Tonga's Ikale Tahi national sides at the Teufaiva Sports Stadium. The tour will provide vital match experience for the Tongan sides ahead of the Pacific Nations Cup and Tonga’s qualification for World Rugby’s WXV women’s rugby tournament.

With the support of the Australian Government's PacificAus Sports program, Tonga Rugby Union will host the Queensland Reds for a week of community and high-performance activities in Tonga ahead of the matches. These activities include coaching clinics, women in rugby leadership sessions, and community school visits to enhance inclusive rugby pathways in Tonga and further strengthen ties between Australia and Tonga. This will be the first time the Queensland Reds men have played Tonga in almost 30 years and will be the first ever matchup between the women’s sides.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

“The Albanese Government is proud to be partnering with Rugby Australia and the Queensland Reds through the PacificAus Sports programto further the development of women’s and men’s rugby in Tonga.

“The PacificAus Sports program and the matches announced today are also a great example of the power of sports diplomacy in bringing Australia and its Pacific family closer together.

“Whether it’s Tonga’s iconic victory over the Wallabies in 1973 or through former World Cup winning Wallaby Toutai Kefu, whose father Fatai played in the 1973 Tonga team, connections between Australia and Tonga through sport are a source of strength and unity. The matches announced today will only deepen those ties.”

Quotes attributable to Queensland Reds CEO, David Hanham:

"We can’t wait to travel to Tonga and deepen ties with our Tongan rugby family. This year, we had three of Tonga's best coaches working with our women's team under the PacificAus Sports program, and this tour will further strengthen the partnership between our two rugby unions. The matches are part of the Reds' post-Super Rugby International program, which features a home game against Wales and away matches against Tonga, Japan's Panasonic Wild Knights, and Gallagher Premiership club Bristol”.

Quotes attributable to Tongan and Penina Pasifika Halfback, Ana Ngahe:

From watching professional women’s rugby on TV to witnessing them in real life, it will be a life-changing moment for our Tongan local girls. There will be so much excitement from our players and fans. I have no doubt that there will be an even higher level of support for women's rugby in Tonga after this game. Something I am very grateful for”.

Quotes attributable to Tongan National Women’s Head Coach, Eddie Aholelei:

"The people of Tonga are very excited to have the Queensland Reds Super Rugby and Super W teams visiting our shores. This is great news for Tongan Rugby and the people of Tonga. We witnessed the tremendous support of Tongan rugby fans during the first-ever Super Rugby Pacific game played in Tonga earlier this year, and we believe that this upcoming tour will be even bigger, thanks to the Australian Government's support”.

“This year, I was a part of the PacificAus Sports coaching development program to the Reds, and I was fortunate enough to be promoted to the assistant coaching role with the Reds Super W team during the season. The Australian Government has been a great supporter of my professional development and Tongan sport, providing players and coaches with pathways to achieving their goals”.

About PacificAus Sports

PacificAus Sports is an Australian Government sports diplomacy initiative developing pathways for Pacific teams and athletes to compete in elite competitions and access high performance coaching in Australia and internationally.

The program partners with Australian national sports organisations to support a range of Pacific sports, including rugby league, rugby union, netball, football, AFL, cricket and Olympic/Paralympic sports, with funding split evenly between women and men.

PacificAus Sports also partners with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to promote Pacific sport through ABC Television’s ‘That Pacific Sports Show’ and ABC Radio’s ‘Fresh Off the Field’.

The high-performance outcomes of PacificAus Sports are complemented by the Australian Government’s Team Up program, which focuses on sport for development in the Pacific.

For more information about PacificAus Sports and its initiatives, visit www.pacificaussports.gov.au and follow PacificAus Sports on Facebook.