Tonga National Rugby League XIII powerhouse Haumole Olakauʻatu has traded his rugby league jersey for a firefighter’s uniform, prompting light-hearted banter about whether the Manly Sea Eagles star might already have what it takes to join the fire service.

The light-hearted moment, captured in a photograph shared by Tonga Fire and Emergency Services, was part of the Kingdom’s nationwide celebrations welcoming home the national team following its return on Wednesday from the 2026 Rugby League World Cup campaign.

The players flew to Vavaʻu for a homecoming celebration on Thursday before returning to Tongatapu for today’s float parade, described as the largest ever staged in Tonga.

The Tonga Fire and Emergency Services posted the photograph of Olakauʻatu in its uniform, accompanied by playful banter suggesting the physically imposing rugby league forward was already fit and well suited to becoming a firefighter.

Wearing a red Fire Service polo shirt, tan firefighting trousers, black protective boots and red suspenders, Olakauʻatu stood confidently in front of fire trucks and Tongan flags, looking every bit the professional firefighter.

His appearance was part of the government’s arrangements for the homecoming parade, under which ministries and departments were assigned individual players to host aboard their respective floats.

Olakauʻatu was allocated to Tonga Fire and Emergency Services and scheduled to ride aboard one of its fire trucks during the procession from Tonga College, ‘Atele through Nukuʻalofa to Apifo’ou College.

The assignment provided the department with an opportunity to showcase its services alongside one of Tonga’s most recognisable international rugby league stars.

Olakauʻatu was among the players celebrated for Tonga’s World Cup campaign, which ended with a 34–10 semi-final defeat to New Zealand.

Despite missing the final, the team’s performances generated enormous national pride, with supporters turning out to welcome the players home.

Olakauʻatu’s participation in the Fire Service contingent highlighted the department’s role in protecting lives and property across Tonga as part of the national team’s homecoming celebrations.

Jason Taumalolo’s decision to leave the New Zealand Kiwis and represent Tonga at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup has received one of the sport’s highest honours, with international rugby league authorities recognising its lasting impact on the game.

The 33-year-old Tonga National Rugby League XIII captain was named on Thursday among 42 inaugural inductees into the International Rugby League (IRL) Hall of Legends, becoming the only currently active player selected.

The IRL specifically acknowledged his 2017 decision as a transformative moment in international rugby league, recognising a contribution that extended beyond his performances on the field.

Taumalolo’s controversial switch encouraged other established NRL players to represent their Pacific heritage, including Andrew Fifita, who chose Tonga over Australia.

Their commitment strengthened Tonga’s squad and helped propel the Pacific nation to a historic World Cup semi-final appearance in 2017.

From controversy to international recognition

Taumalolo’s decision attracted considerable attention because he had already established himself as a New Zealand international.

However, his commitment demonstrated how players eligible for established rugby league powers could choose to represent their ancestral homelands.

The 2017 campaign also elevated Tonga’s international profile, attracting large crowds and passionate support from Tongan communities in New Zealand, Australia and beyond.

Nine years later, his induction formally acknowledges the influence of that decision on the international game.

Only active player among rugby league greats

Taumalolo joins celebrated figures including Wally Lewis, Mal Meninga, Cameron Smith, Darren Lockyer, Andrew Johns and Billy Slater.

Other Pacific representatives recognised include Fijian great Petero Civoniceva and former New Zealand and Samoa women’s international Luisa Avaiki.

The inaugural class represents eight nations: Australia, England, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga and Wales.

IRL chairman Troy Grant said the recognition reflected contributions extending beyond individual achievements.

“This is long overdue recognition for these players whose contribution to international rugby league was not just confined to the playing field but transcended into the betterment of the game and into the lives and memories of rugby league fans worldwide,” Grant said.

More than 240 nominees were considered by an international selection committee comprising former players, coaches, administrators, journalists and commentators.

Honour follows Tonga’s World Cup exit

The announcement follows Tonga’s 34–10 semi-final defeat to New Zealand at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.

Despite the loss, Tongan supporters continued celebrating their national team, with communities displaying national flags and staging parades across several countries.

Taumalolo’s recognition also comes as the international game prepares for further expansion, with the 2030 Rugby League World Cup scheduled to be staged across the Pacific and the United States.

The inaugural Hall of Legends inductees will be celebrated at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Thursday, ahead of this weekend’s 2026 World Cup finals.

Tonga’s national rugby league team received an extraordinary homecoming welcome in Vaini, where supporters brought a police-escorted convoy to a halt after a van was parked in the middle of the road, with its driver and keys nowhere to be found.

The roadblock was part of a worldwide expression of the māfana and fakavelevela spirit of Tongan supporters, whose unwavering passion for their national team remained undiminished despite its 34–10 semi-final defeat to the New Zealand Kiwis, which ended Tonga’s hopes of reaching the World Cup final.

The incident, captured on camera in footage seen by Kaniva News, unfolded as police escorted the returning players from Fuaʻamotu International Airport.

The footage showed what appeared to be police officers, unable to remove the vehicle, manoeuvring their van around the roadblock. However, the bus carrying the team remained blocked.

It was unclear whether the driver was eventually located or how the situation was resolved.

The convoy was heading to Nukuʻalofa, about 35 kilometres away, with plans to slow down or make brief stops along the way to allow players to greet and celebrate with residents and supporters.

The roadblock was reportedly intentional, allowing supporters to spend more time with their sporting heroes while police attempted to remove the vehicle.

Footage showed crowds dressed in Tonga’s national colours of red and white, waving flags and celebrating alongside police vehicles.

The incident appeared to live up to the town’s colourful nickname, “Vaini Vale”, literally meaning “Crazy Vaini”, a name coined in recognition of its residents’ unconventional, exuberant and sometimes mischievous behaviour.

International support

The Vainī homecoming was one of several stops along Taufaʻāhau Road from Fuaʻamotu, including Veitongo and Havelu, where players paused to greet cheering supporters and briefly mingle with residents before continuing to Nukuʻalofa.

The celebrations followed weeks of passionate displays of support for Tonga National Rugby League XIII, uniting Tongan communities across the globe.

In New Zealand and Australia, supporters organised vehicle convoys, flag parades and community gatherings throughout the tournament.

Similar celebrations took place in Portland, Utah and Hawaii in the United States, where members of the Tongan diaspora rallied behind the team.

In Tonga, the festivities extended beyond Tongatapu. In Vavaʻu, social media influencer Siaki Lonitenisi organised a colourful bicycle parade involving children and adults, while supporters in ʻEua staged their own red-and-white procession.

World Cup dream ends

Despite the disappointment of missing out on the final, fans took to social media to express their pride in the team, posting messages such as “Go Mate Maʻa Tonga! Win or lose, we still support you!”

The scenes in Vaini reflected that enduring loyalty, as Tonga’s players returned home to a welcome more commonly associated with champions.

By Barbara Dreaver, Pacific Correspondent at 1News. Republished with permission.

Tonga and Samoa took the hopes of their people with them as they faced NZ and Australia in the Rugby League World Cup semifinals.

Three friends who travelled to Ōtāhuhu from the US were among the Mate Ma’a Tonga devotees watching the Rugby League World Cup final with bated breath, writes 1News Pacific Correspondent Barbara Dreaver.

Tonga and Samoa took the hopes of their people with them over the weekend as they faced New Zealand and Australia in the Rugby League World Cup semifinals.

Tonga may have lost to New Zealand 34-10 and Samoa to Australia 44-12, but both Pacific teams can hold their head up high.

Mate Ma’a Tonga were strong in the first half and in Ōtāhuhu, fans grouped around takeaway joints and in bars cheering, dancing, screaming at every try.

Siosiane Maile was one of them.

“It means everything to be honest, we have the smallest country, but we have the biggest hearts… I think just being around other Tongans, it’s a feeling. We call it māfana – when we see other Tongans, it just makes us happy,” she said.

Three best friends flew in from Utah in the US to be part of the street parades and celebrations. Among them was Pita Latu, who said they just loved coming to Auckland to see a big representation of Pasifika which they don’t see in the States.

“I honestly think it’s the spirit, like everyone is very nice here, very welcoming, no matter who you are talking to on the street, no matter what race. I think everyone is very welcoming… it’s the love here,” he said.

“And nobody does it like the Tongans,” Sten Falatea chimed in.

The three friends said Tongans in their home base had also been celebrating big time with parades and street parties. It’s been an opportunity for even those who have never visited the Kingdom of Tonga to show their pride in their heritage.

Many of the fans along the Ōtāhuhu stretch said if Tonga lost, then they would be cheering for Samoa the next day and, of course New Zealand, if it makes the final.

Maile said she would be happy whatever the outcome was.

“Growing up here in New Zealand gave everyone opportunities so we are grateful to Aotearoa for letting us in, letting us in to this beautiful country,” she said.

Behind her, about 50 Tongans were gathered around a fast food joint which had the game on live, a sea of Tongan red. Flags waved and people hugged and danced whenever their players did anything promising on the field. Parents brought their children and families stood at the side of the road waving at cars heaving under the weight of Tongan flags, beeping as they go past. There was the odd patch of trouble as the night wore on but on the whole it was joyful.

That sort of passion’s hard to replicate and it’s worth money.

Tonga and Samoa’s bruising encounter with each other which led both teams progressing to the semis generated a television audience averaging 1.5 million viewers and a broadcast reach of nearly 3 million.

The Australian stands were packed with Samoan and Tongan fans who also took to the streets both in Australia and internationally with parades, parties, singing and dancing. Social media was inundated with Pasifika pride.

They bring the numbers and the passion across codes.

It was why in 2011, just prior to the Rugby World Cup which New Zealand was hosting, then Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully led a delegation which included the late Jonah Lomu to Tonga and Samoa to generate excitement. It worked beyond all expectations.

Two months later when Ikale Tonga arrived at Auckland international Airport, 7000 supporters turned out to meet them. It was pandemonium in the airport carpark which took up to two hours to get out of and in the end, the barrier arms just stayed up and traffic light phasing had to be changed to get rid of the backlog. Then there was the 200-strong convoy which followed the team back to the city and the first world cup game – All Blacks v Tonga – was a triumph in enthusiasm and bums on seats.

It’s great publicity for the sport but it’s so much more than that.

It’s very hard to think of the Tongan and Samoan league teams as anything but winners. They are the lucky ones, with supporters who not only believe in them but carry the collective pride of their nations.

Tongan-American politician David Tangipa has won re-election to the California State Assembly, securing a second term as a Republican representative for District 8 following the November 3 United States midterm elections.

Tangipa, 30, first entered the state legislature in 2024 after defeating fellow Republican George Radanovich. He was unopposed on the ballot in this year’s general election.

His district covers parts of seven counties in central and eastern California, including Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Calaveras, Inyo, Mono and Tuolumne.

Born in Sacramento on December 9, 1995, Tangipa is a first-generation Tongan-American whose mother is of Tongan descent. His father is a United States military veteran.

He attended California State University, Fresno, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and criminology and later completed a Master of Business Administration.

Tangipa also played American football as a tight end for the Fresno State Bulldogs before pursuing a career in real estate.

Before entering the legislature, he worked for Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, gaining experience in local government.

During his first term, Tangipa served as vice-chair of the Assembly Budget Committee and held positions on several other legislative committees.

The California State Assembly is the lower chamber of the state’s legislature, responsible for passing state laws, approving budgets and overseeing government policies.

Its members serve two-year terms, unlike members of the United States Congress, who legislate at the federal level in Washington, DC.

Tangipa is among Tongan-Americans participating in elected public office in the United States, where established Tongan communities are concentrated in states including California, Utah and Hawaii.

Tangipa’s re-election comes as California remains home to one of the largest Tongan communities in the United States. According to US Census-based estimates for 2020–2024, approximately 27,779 people identifying as Tongan, either alone or in combination with another racial identity, live in California, with significant communities in San Mateo, Alameda, Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties.

Hawaii and Utah are among the locations being considered for the 2030 Rugby League World Cup as the sport’s international governing body plans to stage matches in the Pacific and United States, targeting areas with substantial Tongan, Samoan and other Pacific Islander populations.

The International Rugby League (IRL) confirmed on Monday that the tournament would be staged across five locations in the Pacific and United States, introducing a new competition format as part of its international expansion plans.

The announcement follows recent flag-waving vehicle parades by Tongan communities in Portland, Utah and Hawaii in support of Tonga National Rugby League XIII during its 2026 World Cup campaign.

In Portland, Oregon, more than 100 vehicles decorated in Tonga’s red and white colours travelled through the streets on 6 November ahead of the team’s semifinal against New Zealand, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Similar celebrations were reported in Salt Lake City, Utah, while Tongan and Samoan supporters also paraded through Waikiki, Hawaii, ahead of their teams’ World Cup encounter on 1 November.

Although the five host locations have yet to be selected, Hawaii and Utah have been identified as potential venues because of their Pacific Islander populations.

IRL chairman Troy Grant said prospective host cities would be assessed according to their strategic locations and the availability of stadiums capable of accommodating multiple matches over several days.

Under the proposed format, each location would host a series of matches in a concentrated period, following a model similar to the National Rugby League’s Magic Round.

The tournament would then move between selected cities, with matches and associated promotional activities taking place at each venue.

The men’s competition will expand from 10 teams in 2026 to 12 in 2030, while the women’s tournament will increase from eight to 10 participating nations.

Grant said the competition was expected to feature three weeks of matches involving all participating nations, followed by the semifinals and finals.

The final tournament structure remains under consideration following discussions with member nations during the IRL’s annual general meeting and congress in Sydney.

Tongan population and US expansion plans

According to the 2020 US Census, 78,871 people identified as Tongan alone or in combination with another racial identity.

Utah accounted for 20,372 of them, including 12,859 in Salt Lake County, which recorded the largest Tongan population of any county in the United States.

Hawaii also has an established Tongan community, with the 2016–2020 American Community Survey estimating its population at approximately 8,798.

The presence of these communities provides demographic context for the IRL’s interest in staging World Cup matches in the two states.

The recent parades also attracted attention beyond the Tongan community, with Australian media reporting on the celebrations in Waikiki and other American cities following Tonga’s narrow 20–18 victory over Samoa.

The inclusion of the United States forms part of the IRL’s plans to develop rugby league outside its established markets, with Pacific communities identified as potential audiences for international matches.

If Hawaii or Utah is selected, local Tongan and other Pacific communities would have an opportunity to attend World Cup matches without travelling overseas.

The IRL has not announced a timetable for confirming the five host locations.

Tongan-American pop star Dinah Jane received a warm homecoming welcome in Vavaʻu on Saturday, November 7, as her maternal family and supporters celebrated her arrival following a public controversy over her performance of Tonga’s national anthem.

Jane was welcomed at Lupepauʻu Airport before joining a colourful vehicle parade to Tefisi, where her maternal ancestors originated and members of her extended family, or kāinga, live.

Jane’s arrival in Vavaʻu had been highly anticipated following an announcement days earlier by prominent social media influencer Siaki Lonitenisi, who organised a bicycle parade in support of Tonga National Rugby League XIII.

The parade took place last Saturday morning, ahead of Jane’s arrival that afternoon. Lonitenisi had previously told his followers and parade participants that they would head directly to Lupepauʻu Airport after the event to welcome the Tongan pop star.

Photos shared on Facebook showed Lonitenisi and cyclists dressed in red and white joining the parade to welcome Jane, who was seen waving from the back of a red pickup truck as cheering crowds lined the roadsides along the procession route.

Among those celebrating Jane’s arrival on Facebook were commenters who took the opportunity to share their family connections to the former Fifth Harmony star. One commenter claimed they were related through a Tangulu great-grandfather from Tefisi, explaining that Jane’s mother, Milika Amasio, belonged to the Tangulu clan.

Joyful Homecoming Amid Controversy

The celebrations brought a more joyful chapter to the singer’s visit to Tonga, days after her rendition of the national anthem before the Tonga National Rugby League XIII’s clash with Samoa on November 1 sparked public debate.

Former New Zealand Olympic champion Dame Valerie Adams had criticised Jane’s departure from the anthem’s traditional melody, particularly a climactic vocal run that ended on a high note rather than the lower notes of the original composition.

Jane subsequently responded to the criticism, expressing disappointment at Adams’ remarks and defending her performance as an artistic interpretation. She argued that vocal runs are widely used by internationally renowned singers and questioned why she had been singled out for using the technique.

The exchange attracted public attention and prompted debate over artistic interpretation and the importance of preserving the traditional musical structure of Tonga’s national anthem.

The debate on Kaniva Tonga News’ Facebook page has attracted thousands of comments and reactions, dividing the community between supporters of Adams and Jane, with the exchanges also descending into personal attacks.

Some of Jane’s supporters rebuked Adams, arguing that her criticism was unwelcome because she had represented New Zealand rather than Tonga during her career as a world champion shot putter. Meanwhile, Adams’ supporters countered that Jane was free to alter the melody if it were her own song, but not when performing Tonga’s national anthem.

Tonga’s hopes of reaching the Rugby League World Cup final have been dashed, but die-hard supporters remain firmly behind their national team after a campaign that united Tongan communities at home and overseas.

Tonga National Rugby League XIII suffered a 34–10 defeat to the New Zealand Kiwis in Saturday night’s semi-final at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, Australia.

The match initially offered hope of an upset when winger Jojo Fifita scored twice to give Tonga a 10–6 lead in the first half.

However, New Zealand regained control before halftime, taking a 12–10 advantage into the break before scoring four unanswered tries in the second half to secure victory.

Despite the disappointment, the passionate national pride displayed through flag parades, vehicle convoys and community gatherings ahead of the semi-final continues to overshadow any negative feelings following Tonga’s defeat.

That unwavering loyalty has carried over to social media, where supporters continue to express their pride in the team. Messages such as “Go Mate Maʻa Tonga! Win or lose, we still support you!” reflect the enduring spirit of fans whose commitment remains undiminished by the result.

In Vavaʻu, social media influencer Siaki Lonitenisi organised a colourful bicycle parade, while supporters in ʻEua also took to the streets in red and white.

Similar displays of solidarity among Tongan communities in New Zealand, Australia and the United States highlighted the team’s importance beyond the rugby league field.

Tonga had reached the semi-finals following a memorable 20–18 victory over Pacific rivals Samoa, which sparked widespread celebrations.

For many supporters, the team’s performances have provided an opportunity to celebrate their Tongan identity and shared sporting ambitions, regardless of the final result.

New Zealand will now face the winner of the Australia–Samoa semi-final in the World Cup final in Brisbane on 15 November.