Tonga Secures 36-0 Victory Over Lebanon in Rugby League World Cup

Tonga cruised to a 36-0 victory over Lebanon on Friday at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta, Australia, during their second group fixture of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup. The Pacific Islanders capitalized on a strong defensive effort and late-game scoring surges to secure their second win of the tournament, following their previous success against England.

The match featured a unique family storyline, pitting cousins against each other on opposing sides. Lebanon's Tony Francis and Tupou Francis faced off against Tonga's Lehi Hopoate. Leading up to the game, the cousins engaged in lighthearted banter, with Tony Francis joking about his defensive intentions against Hopoate. Despite their close childhood ties and being raised closely alongside their Tongan relatives, the Francis brothers ultimately chose to represent Lebanon.

Lebanon put up a spirited fight in the early stages of the contest, maintaining competitive pressure before fading in the final twenty minutes. A pivotal moment occurred in the first half when Lebanon trailed 10-0. Alex Conti attempted a kick toward the corner for Jason Saab, but Saab was unable to secure the ball cleanly, batting it back instead. Tonga center Tolutau Koula intercepted the opportunity and ran the length of the field to score at the opposite end.

Tonga built on that momentum as the game progressed. Sione Katoa and Jojo Fifita each scored two tries for the victorious side. Additional tries from Paul Alamoti and Leka Halasima rounded out the scoring, cementing the shutout victory for the Tongan squad and placing them in pole position to advance to the knockout stages.

The defeat leaves Lebanon facing an uphill battle to progress beyond the group phase after also dropping their opening match 42-18 against Papua New Guinea. During that previous fixture, the Cedars had stayed within striking distance at half-time before conceding crucial tries shortly after the restart.

The 2026 Rugby League World Cup features an unbalanced group stage format where Pools B and C are combined into a single six-team table. Only the top two teams from this combined group will advance to the semi-finals, heightening the stakes for every remaining fixture as teams vie for qualification.