Tonga has failed to qualify for Sevens Rugby at this year’s 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Tonga is ineligible because because it did not participate at last year’s Oceania Sevens tournament in Fiji, which was an essential competition for Pacific Island countries to qualify for the Commonwealth Games, Team Tonga however was absent at the competition.

Tonga's absence from the competition was attributed to financial reasons. The Tonga Sevens were unable to meet a $12,000 (NZD) participation fee to enter the Oceania Sevens tournament according to Tonga’s Rugby CEO, Fuka Kiteke’iaho.

Samoa, the Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea have been selected to compete in the Commonwealth Games. However, Fiji will not participate in the games as the country is currently under suspension from the Commonwealth.

Tonga’s failure to qualify for the Commonwealth games has disappointed fans. New Zealand Rugby Commentator Keith Quinn described Tonga’s exclusion as “really sad” during his commentary of the Wellington Sevens last week.