Roos up for Hawaii run

CAMERON Smith and the Australian Kangaroos playing in a historic Test match against Jason Taumalolo’s Tongans in the Paradise of the Pacific.

Sounds like a pipedream, but you better get your surfboard ready because the Kangaroos are in secret negotiations with Tonga to play a rugby league Test in Hawaii next year.

Australian officials, including coach Mal Meninga, are behind the plan to stage the ground-breaking event at Honolulu’s 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium.

In a bid to capitalise on the popularity of new rugby league power Tonga following the Mate Ma’a’s efforts to reach the World Cup semi-finals, officials are looking to play the match in October 2018 in the weeks following the NRL grand final.

Talks about an Australia versus Tonga Test in Hawaii have been positive, but Meninga says the game requires funding from the NRL and the International Federation.

“At the moment we’ve got no money in the bank, but we are talking,” Meninga said.