Mu'a Saints win Jason Taumalolo Cup [1]
Monday, May 14, 2018 - 17:45. Updated on Monday, May 21, 2018 - 19:46.
The Mu’a Saints Rugby League team have won the Jason Taumalolo Cup after winning by a point in the last seconds in what was an intense match, 24-23 against Ha’ateiho Spartans at Toloa, Tongatapu, on Saturday, 12 May 2018.
Mate Ma’a Tonga Head Coach, Kristian Woolf, and Tonga National Rugby League President, Semisi Sika, presented the Cup and cash prizes to the top four clubs in two divisions.
The winners in each division are:
First Division:
- 1st Place: TOP$5000 (sponsored by TCC) - Mu'a Saints
- 2nd Place: TOP$3500 - Ha'ateiho Spartans
- 3rd Place: TOP$2500 - Toloa Old Boys
- 4th Place: TOP$2000 - Vaini Doves
2nd Division:
- 1st Place: TOP$3500 - Makaunga Titans
- 2nd Place: TOP$2500 - Fatumu
- 3rd Place: TOP$1800 - Kolomotu'a Eagles
- 4th Place: TOP$1200 - Fasi Ma'ufanga Vikings
The winner of the Jason Taumalolo Cup, Mu'a Saints, will head to Samoa next month to play in the inaugural Polynesian Cup on 2 June.
Tonga National Rugby League’s Tavake Fangupo said the Polynesian Cup is between the winning Rugby League Club’s in Samoa and Tonga. The Cup will be played in Tonga next year at Teufaiva Stadium.
A similar competition is the Melanesian Cup, which has been running for the past three years, where Fiji play against Papua New Guinea.
The Jason Taumalolo Cup Rugby League competition follows on from Mate Ma’a Tonga’s successful run at the Rugby League World Cup last year when they reached the semi-final for the first time in history. The Jason Taumalolo Cup will be held every year.