Tonga's national rugby league team the Mate Ma'a Tonga will compete in a new international rugby league tournament, the Federation Shield between England, France, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, kicking off on October 22.

The Federation Shield Tournament matches will be played in the United Kingdom and in France.

Lopeti 'Uhatafe the co-manager of the Mate Ma...’a Tonga said that a Mate Ma'a Tonga team for the Federation Shield will be announced on September 13, following a final trial match to be held at the Teufaiva Stadium. He said that the September 13 trial would be between a squad of players who will be selected from the current Global Insurance Rugby League Tournament, which will end on September 9.

Lopeti said the local squad and the management team will depart Tonga for Sydney, Australia, on September 18 to compete in the 2008 World Cup rugby league Pacific Qualifiers. The Mate Ma'a Tonga plays Fiji, Samoa and the Cook Islands for the top two qualifying spots.

Following the Pacific Qualifiers in Australia there will be trial matches to select the Mate Ma'a Tonga for the Federation Shield. Lopeti said that this trial match will be either on September 20 or 21 and it will include some NRL Tongan players from Australia and New Zealand.

The Mate Ma...’a Tonga will play against the Cook Islands on September 29, with Fiji on October 4 and against Samoa on October 22. The Mate Ma'a Tonga against Samoa game will be played in the United Kingdom, the first match in the Federation Shield tournament, but it will also be a qualifying match for World Cup rugby Tonga and Samoa.

The management team for the Mate Ma...’a Tonga, included Jim Dymock and Uili Wolfgram as coaches, with William Edwards and Lopeti ...‘Uhatafe as the managers.

Lopeti said that the Tonga National Rugby League is still working closely with the Tongan Rugby League Committee in New Zealand, although Dwain Mann a former coach of the Mate Ma...’a Tonga has resigned.

Fixtures for the Federation Shield

October 22 - Tonga v Samoa, Headingley Carnegie stadium

- England v France, Leeds

October 28 - France v Samoa, Benichou stadium, Colomiers.

October 29- England v Tonga, Twickenham Stoop, London

November 5- England v Samoa, KC Stadium, Hull

- France v Tonga at Halton Stadium, Widnes

November 12 - Federation Shield Final to be held at Halton Stadium, Widnes.