HISTORY OF HAKULA TONGA NZ RUGBY LEAGUE
The Hakula Tongan NZ Rugby League was formed and started by the Godfather of Tongan Rugby League. The late GEORGE MANN in 1993... Uncle George who also started the First Mate Ma’a Tonga Rugby League Team in 1986 and he had been approached by New Zealand and Auckland Rugby League officials to start up our own Tongan Representative Team from players here in Aotearoa after the initial success of our National Team Mate Ma’a Tonga Rugby League in making the Pacific Cup Grand Final in the Previous Year 1992... The Pacific Cup Final that Year which went into 3 Extra time Quarters has gone down as one of the Best International Test Games ever Played between
Tonga and Samoa and named as one of the Top 10 Tests ever Played in the History of Rugby League by a British Rugby League Web Site that took all International Tests into consideration...
In 1993 The Hakula Tongan Rugby League was formed and we won the 1st Inaugural Polynesian Cup defeating the NZ Maoris 24 – 12 in the Final... The Core of the Players which including such Tongan Greats as Steve Firth: 1992 & 1993 Kapiteni, Esau Mann, Dave Schaumkel,Willie Wolfgramm, Una Taufa, the Veikoso Tokoua, the Roiall Tokoua, Kava Utoikamanu all coming from the 1992 Tonga National Squad and where heavily involved in this successful Polynesian Cup Tournament...
In 1994 Duane Mann was Player /Coach of our Successful Hakula Team playing in a Sevens Pacific and International Tournament at Hendon Park in Mt Albert that year... I believe our 1st Women’s Team also started that Year and they played in a Pacific Women’s Tournament at Mt Albert.
In 1995 I Coached the Hakula Tongan Rugby League Senior Team and our hard working Komiti included my Cuzz “Huelo Lolohea” (Chairman) Fasi Moe Afi, Pita Hala (RIP) Ha’apai, & George Kupu from Kolofo’o and which included Players like Fuifui Moimoi and my Brother Mati Roiall who captained the Side that year...
From there the Growth of our Tongan Teams started to explode with all Tongan Parents also wanted their Kids to represent our Humble and Poor Island in the Pacific...
In 1996 ‘Ese Taufa was our 1st Hakula CEO of the juniors which was growing so quickly, He had a hard working Committee including Samula Santos and Soni Tuha...
I think we had teams from Under 10’s up to our Under 18’s team from that year onward... Players to of emerged from the Hakula Junior Teams and gone onto bigger things include Jason Taumalolo and Fuifui Moimoi, Manu (The Beast) Vatuvei to name just a few.
To OTUA be all the Glory
Ofa Lahi Atu Toko
Ma’ake Roiall (Mate Ma’a Tonga Kapiteni 1990)
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