Action from St Helens as hosts England face the might and muscle of Polynesians Tonga in the opening game of the first international series between the nations.

They last met in the 2017 World Cup semi-final, when the Pacific Islanders launched an incredible comeback from 20-0 down with only seven minutes remaining and were only denied victory by a disallowed try in the dying seconds.

Tonga’s most recent match in England was last year’s narrow World Cup quarter-final defeat by Samoa, who went on to beat Shaun Wane’s host nation in the semi-finals. Visiting coach Kristian Woolf is rugby league royalty in Merseyside, having led St Helens to three of their four successive grand final wins and the 2021 Challenge Cup title. Show less