Tonga Rugby Union has selected its first ‘Ikale Tahi squad for the 2026 World Rugby Nations Cup campaign.
The new Nations Cup is a biennial international competition starting this year, involving 12 teams from six continents.
Matches will be played across the July and November international windows, with each team scheduled to play six games.
The tournament will begin on 4 July 2026 in Montevideo, Uruguay, where the host nation will face Georgia in the opening fixture.
The July matches will be staged across the Americas.
Under the competition format, teams will compete in pools, with the top-ranked side in each pool crowned champions.
The Nations Cup is designed to provide more consistent international competition for emerging rugby nations as they prepare for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Which unions will be competing? A total of 12 unions will compete, all of whom have qualified for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
Samoa were the final team to qualify following their 13-13 draw against Belgium in the Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai last November.
Pool A (Americas and Pacific) Pool B (Europe, Africa and Asia) Hong Kong China The competition follows a round-robin format across two windows, with each team playing six matches –....
