Tonga NRL

Anthony Seuseu, Digicel Tonga’s CEO said; “We are excited to partner with NRL Tonga to support its delivery of the Voices against Violence education programme within the 30 high schools throughout Tonga this year.”

Seuseu added, “We also recognize International Women’s Day on March 8th promoting equality and empowerment of women. This partnership with NRL Tonga enables us to reinforce this message directly to our children in high schools, especially our boys to respect and value women accordingly.”

In February the IRL board made the decision to kick the TNRL out of the world body after a long-running battle over governance, money and a threatened player boycott.

The TNRL had been suspended since October 2019, after it sacked national coach Kristian Woolf over disagreements around control and finances, which led players to threaten a boycott of the World Cup 9s and end of season tests.

During last week's meeting the full member countries of the IRL confirmed the previous board decision to expel the TNRL by a vote of nine to five.

The former Kiwis star and Cronulla's Andrew Fifita have led a Tongan player revolt, threatening to boycott next month's World Cup Nines and the end of year tests against Great Britain and Australia after coach Kristian Woolf was sacked.

The players want Tongan Rugby League chairman George Koloamatangi and secretary William Edwards ousted and Woolf reinstated after Frank Endacott was named as their new coach.