Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Mate Ma’a Tonga – The mighty Tongans topple the mighty Kiwi team with a well placed jandal to the eye.

Last night we saw the RLWC 2017 spring to life. A titanic struggle of Polynesian warriors defying the laws of physics and pound each other to a pulp. If this game kept to script New Zealand should have come out with a few bruises but a win safely in the bag. The only problem was someone forgot to give the Tongan team the memo, that when you are down by 10 odd points you are supposed to roll over and die.

With a full stadium of red and white flags, and Tongan songs in full voice, the Kiwi’s could have been excused for thinking they were playing in Nuku’alofa. The crowd atmosphere was phenomenal and only intensified as the Tongans questioned, then bludgeoned the Kiwi defence. The simple game plan worked. Hard running forwards would muscle up on the New Zealand defense, while the young halves would pepper the New Zealand back three with high balls and a good chase. Suddenly it was the Kiwi team who were under the pump.

The 10 point lead had turned into a 6 point deficit. A late rally pushed the game right down to the wire, but in the end it was Tongan winger Fusitua would cross the line for his third and game stealing try of the night. The stadium erupted in a chorus of red and white rainbows that looked like KFC boxes stuck together, and every one started partying like it was 1999.

The talk all week has been about Taumalolo, and his 11th hour defection from the Kiwi team to play for Mate Ma’a Tonga. He wasn’t the only one who turned down a Jersey to play for another country, but he was the most high profile player to do so. He was vilified by Kiwi coach David (‘The Key is the We’) Kidwell, and got a verbal spray from Benji Marshall for disrespecting the Black Jersey and as recent as this week Kiwi captain Adam Blair also waded into the crime scene to add his 5 cents.

There was much more on the line than the game last night. A win for Tonga would have more than justified Taumalolo’s decision to play for them. The Kiwi’s on the other hand would have been looking to send the message “if we offer you a jersey and you don’t accept it, then are gonna kick you ass on the field”  That was the message the Kiwi’s may have intended to impress on the Tongans last night. And a message I think the Australian administration would have been hoping the Kiwi’s executed strongly. Well, we all know how that turned out.

At the moment there remains a huge appeal amongst Pasifika players to aim for a spot in the Kiwi or Kangaroo squads first, and have a fall-back in representing their heritage nations if no contract from the Australia or New Zealand eventuated.

The reasons for this are quite simple, both teams have better resources and historically you are more likely to win a tournament in green/gold or black/white jersey than any other color in the competition. Yes there are other factors that come into play when agents are having a pow wow with their clients, but all up, if you are part of a winning team then your stocks remain high. And in a game where stocks are everything, it’s no wonder Pasifika players are lining up to play for the big nations.

Enter Jason Taumalolo, the most expensive player In the NRL having just signed a 10year contract with the cowboys. Did his decision to turn down a Kiwi jersey open the door for others to consider a same path? Last nights win over the NZ Kiwi’s proves that Island nations that can field a quality side can contest and beat the world’s best. And if the key to keeping your stocks high is being in a winning team, then how high have the stocks of Tongan winger Fusitua risen overnight? How much interest will be in the Tongan players if they go all the way to the final......... and win?

This could be a watershed moment for those few, but also for key Pasifika players who are currently part of the Kiwi or Australian set up.  

Could you imagine a Roger Tuivasa Sheck, Marty Tapau and Thomas Leuluai turning out for Toa Samoa? Or Felise Kaufusi and Addin Fonua Blake turning out for Mate Ma’a Tonga? Add the likes of Asofa – Solomona and Josh Hargreaves and suddenly you are looking at a team that on paper could win the 2017 competition for Toa Samoa.

Money is not a big driver in these world cup meets as most of the players make their money in the NRL. This is purely about winning a world cup and the esteem that comes with it.

Many have visioned a team made up of all the best Samoan players in the world, but this was  always sidelined as just a pipe dream, but last night we saw what can happen, when good players make themselves available to their heritage teams. We can play, we can win and hopefully we can be the best in the world at the end of this competition. And it’s all thanks to a guy who changed his mind about playing for the Kiwi’s.

The dream is still alive.

By Johnny Se'evae Kosokoso