The 2021 Rugby League World Cup continues on Tuesday as Tonga make their first appearance of this year's edition. The Mate Ma'a face Papua New Guinea in St Helens in the opening game of Group D and will be hoping to put the rest of the international game on alert after their 2017 World Cup semi-final appearance and a first ever win over Australia in the Oceania Cup in 2019.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Tuesday's match…
Tonga v Papua New Guinea - Group D
Where: Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens.
When: 7:30pm (BST)
TV: BBC Three and BBC iPlayer
Referee: Liam Moore (England)
Last meeting: Papua New Guinea 32-18 Tonga (Lae, 2014)
Tonga’s last five: WWLLW
Papua New Guinea’s last five: WWLLW
After their heroics in 2017, coming within one tackle of reaching the World Cup final, much is expected of Kristian Woolf's Tonga. They come stocked with a squad which should have more than enough to win all three group fixtures, and they are arguably the strongest team in their half of the draw. Jason Taumalolo again leads a huge pack from loose forward, while the likes of Siliva Havili and Tui Lolohea will direct them around the park and Konrad Hurrell, Siosifa Talakai and Moses Suli will provide strike out wide over the course of the campaign.
Papua New Guinea are a nation with a strong rugby league history and will expect to get out of the group but are big underdogs for this opening fixture. While they have lost David Mead since their 2017 quarter-final visit, Alex Johnston will provide quality from the full-back position and captain Rhyse Martin is their big name in the forwards. Justin Olam, Xavier Coates and Nene Macdonald offer plenty of NRL experience between them in the three-quarter line.
Sportsman stat: In their previous five World Cups, Tonga have won their opening fixture three times and lost the other two by one point in 1995 (v New Zealand) and two points in 2013 (v Scotland).
Betfred odds: Tonga 1/33, Papua New Guinea 11/1, draw 25/1
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
