One week for TNRL to appeal expulsion

TONGA National Rugby League has one week to appeal its expulsion from the International Rugby League.

After months of dispute between Tongan players, coaches and the board over finances and resources, the IRL has confirmed it voted at a board meeting this week to expel the TNRL as issues remain unresolved.

“The directors carefully considered the position of Tonga National Rugby League, which has been suspended since October 2019, in the light of a wide-ranging consultation with stakeholders in the Tongan game,” an IRL statement released on Monday said. “After that meeting, the board wrote to TNRL, advising them of the resolution passed at that meeting, which is to expel TNRL from the membership.

“There is a process within the IRL constitution for dealing with membership issues, which IRL is following.

“TNRL has one week to appeal the board’s decision. Should it choose to do so, the matter will be decided by the members in general meeting.”

The TNRL has been suspended since October, with Tongan players forming an “Invitational XIII” for the World Cup Nines and end-ofseason Tests.

Stars including Andrew Fifita and captain Jason Taumalolo threatened to boycott the matches until the alternative invitational side was formed separate from the TNRL.

They demanded sacked coach Kristian Woolf to be reinstated and board members of the TNRL stand down, before forming the invitational team to represent the island nation.

Without TNRL, Tonga went on to further establish themselves as a powerhouse of rugby league with historic victories over Australia and Great Britain in October.