Mate Ma'a Tonga

Manu mammoth as Kiwis get the better of Tonga

Carrying on the form that has made him a standout for the Roosters in 2022, Manu ran for 404 metres and had seven tackle breaks as New Zealand made a strong statement ahead of this year's World Cup. 

The emotion of the pre-game Haka and Sipi Tau had barely subsided when Kiwi playmaker Jahrome Hughes stepped ojn the gas from 10 metres out and carried three defenders over with him for the game's opening try.

New Zealand v Mate Ma'a Tonga: Emotional return to Mt Smart

The Warriors' last home game before the COVID-19 panedemic on August 30, 2019, and the last Test match played at the ground was five weeks before that on June 22 when New Zealand beat Tonga 34-14.

On that occasion it was Shaun Johnson stealing the show with a hat-trick but the veteran playmaker has made way for Melbourne's Jahrome Hughes, who debuted off the bench in that Test and has gone on to establish himself as one of the game's premier No.7s.

Tupou, Staggs named in Tonga squad for Kiwis Test

Tonga coach Kristian Woolf named a 25-man squad ahead of the June 25 Test, with Tupou named on the wing and Staggs at five-eighth - despite the pair playing for the Blues in last week's opening Origin match.

Manly second-rower Haumole Olakau’atu and Cronulla centre Siosifa Talakai, who have both been mentioned as contenders to join the NSW squad for Origin II in Perth on June 26, have also been included along with the likes of Jason Taumalolo, Addin Fonua-Blake and Tevita Pangai jnr.

Under international eligibility rules, players can play for both their state and Tonga.

Kiwis to play British Lions, Tonga in 2019

New Zealand will play Mate Ma'a Tonga on 22 June at Mt Smart Stadium in the first match of the new Oceania Cup.

The Kiwi Ferns will also play against an unnamed opponent in the double header - they'll play a second match against Australia in October.

The Oceania Cup will be played in June and November during the international Test windows.

Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Fiji and Australia make up the six-nation competition.

Time for England to address ball control

The Wayne Bennett-coached side have completed at below 80 per cent in three of their four games so far, culminating in a sloppy effort in last week's 36-6 quarter-final victory over Papua New Guinea, where they completed just over half of their 46 sets.