rugby league

The series, which was to include a much-anticipated rematch between Tonga and New Zealand and other tests involving Samoa, PNG and the Cook Islands was originally scheduled for June.

However the Asia Pacific Rugby League Confederation said it was now looking at delivering fixtures in October and November.

Deputy Chair Greg Peters said the unprecedented measures had to be taken for the safety and well-being of players, staff and supporters.

The saying goes that behind every good man is an even better woman and Stuart believes Masepa Papalii is that someone.

The pair were sweethearts for several years before tying the knot in late 2018. Season 2019 not only saw Papalii shift from lock to front row, it gave the 27-year-old a third Mal Meninga Medal (for the Raiders' best player) in four years.

Papalii scored six tries, made 61 tackle busts, 31 off-loads, ran for 3830 metres at an average just shy of 150 in each of his 26 games.

Tonga coach Kristian Woolf intends to stay loyal to the players responsible for the rise of the Pacific nation in recent season but confirmed that Folau would be considered for this year's Tests against New Zealand, Fiji and possibly a Williams-inspired Samoa.

The majority of the squad committed to their heritage for the 2017 World Cup and again stuck solid during last year's stand-off with the Tongan National Rugby League.

Australia will meet Fiji, Italy and Scotland in Group B, while New Zealand were drawn against Ireland, Jamaica and Lebanon in Group C and Tonga play Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea and Wales in Group D.

In the women’s tournament, New Zealand were drawn in the same pool as Australia in a massive boost for the likes of England and PNG.

However, most interest in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace centred on which team Prince Harry picked as England's opponents in the opening match on 23 October, 2021. The match will be played at St James' Park in Newcastle.

No tries were scored in the first half with the sides locked 2-2 at half time, but the Kiwis took charge after the break as Jamayne Isaako and Corey Harawira-Naera crossed over.

Daryl Clark replied late on, but Great Britain would fall short and suffer a second loss at the start of the 2019 tour, having lost to a Tonga Invitational XIII last weekend.

Disappointment is the only word Warriors coach Stephen Kearney could conjure post-match after his side's remote finals aspirations dreams were all-but buried at Mount Smart stadium last night.

They'll remain 12th by the end of the weekend but can't fancy their hopes on current form, combined with a tough run home and ongoing injury problems for Kodi Nikorima and Karl Lawton.

Coach Stephen Kearney delivered his lacklustre players a rocket at the break and was still steaming at fulltime.

The 46-12 loss to the Raiders on Friday left Kearney feeling angrier than he could remember.

His team trailing 30-0 at halftime, the coach was captured by television cameras delivering a dressing down to his players in the shed which involved furiously kicking a stray towel. It would have hit Peta Hiku in the head if the centre hadn't taken evasive action.

Kearney was angry that after a run of six gritty showings, in which no game was decided by more than four points, his side failed to front in their first game in Auckland for a month.

The twins descend from a family legacy of rugby greatness in Samoa.

Their father Fiapopo Feagai was a champion sprinter in 1988 for Samoa College and captained the Samoa College 1st XV.

He later represented Aana District in the local National Provincial Competition (NPC) in Samoa.

Faipopo Feagai is from Fasitoo-uta and Matautu-tai in Apia. His wife Rosa Simeti Feagai is also from Fasitoo-uta and Leulumoega.

Billy-Jean Ale and Tasia Seumanufagai are the only survivors from the side that played Australia in Apia in 2011, while five of the 21-strong squad have previously represented New Zealand or Australia.

New Zealand Warriors second rower Luisa Gago was a part of the Kiwi Ferns World Cup squad in 2017 but said the opportunity to represent Samoa was one she could not ignore.

The match will be played at a soon to be announced club ground in Auckland, with free entry to the game and the match to be livestreamed on aucklandleague.co.nz.

It will be the first time in a year the Auckland premier team have taken the field, following on from last year's 40-12 victory over the Tonga New Zealand Residents at Mount Smart Stadium.