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Street celebration, difficult to comprehend

Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Editor,

I can't recall the last time that we took to the streets after beating our cousins in the Cook Islands in any sport.   And while I don't want to disparage the sporting prowess of the Cook Islands in anyway, they have never ever been in the same league as Samoa, Fiji and Tonga when it comes to the 15 and 13 man game.   That was until last this week.  

You only have to look at the side that nearly brought an end to the star-studded Mate Ma'a Tonga campaign to appreciate how well these rookies from the Cooks outperformed our under-cooked and disappointing world-class 13.  

The street celebration in Nuku'alofa which followed a lack-lustre performance by a team which on paper promised so much but delivered so little is difficult to comprehend. Are we so in need to be cheered up that we will bring Taufa'ahau Rd to a standstill on a performance which would have been considered a sham 10 or 15 years ago?

Have our standards and expectations dropped so low that we can no longer tell the difference between victor and vanquished?

Sefita Hao'uli

Auckland

New Zealand

Comments

It is obvious that Mr Hao'uli is unaware of the circumstances behind those celebrations. These fine young men have left their families and friends to represent our island Kingdom, without question a huge sacrifice in todays materialistic world. They are playing for nothing whereas Australia and other nations are paid huge amounts to be in this World Cup. We haven't lowered our standard sir, and it is a great disrepect to our fellow Cook Islanders. The people of Tonga are entitled to enjoy themselves as these young men have been doing for our tiny Kingdom are pretty rare as most of them were born here and in NZ. However, they have prided themselves in representing Tonga in a game so brutal that you and I couldn't imagine being involved. With respect to your opinion sir, please let the Kingdom enjoy themselves and celebrate what these young men have done for Tonga so far.

Malo moe 'ofa lahi atu ki he fanau va'inga pea moe Tonga kotoa. - Isileli Pahulu

I agree completely with Isileli Pahulu. I was at Shay Stadium, Halifax to see the Tonga Rugby League team beat Italy 16-0, and the players won much support from the local Yorkshire crowd. The players are great representatives of the Kingdom, and should be applauded.

Halifax school children sang the Tonga National Anthem before the game and performed the Sipi Tau, too, and these actions show the warm welcome given to the Tonga team. Well done, Mate Ma'a Tonga.