Tongan forward Eliesa Katoa has been taken to hospital after being fitted with an oxygen mask during the Pacific Championship Test match against New Zealand.
Katoa was taken off the field for two Head Injury Assessments during Tonga’s 40-14 loss to the Kiwis, but his difficult afternoon started in the warm-up.
Katoa’s was felled by friendly fire when his head was hit by the shoulder of Tonga fullback Lehi Hopoate.
He was taken from the field early in the first half after receiving another head knock, but passed that HIA.
Another blow to the head ended his game in the second half, followed by disturbing scenes on the sideline.
Footage taken from the stands, posted by New Zealand Herald journalist Michael Burgess, showed Katoa being put onto a medicab, with Code Sports reporting six teammates and support staff helping the Melbourne Storm forward, before an oxygen mask was fitted onto him.
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Coach Kristian Woolf said Katoa did not require a concussion test after hitting the turf before the match following a collision with fullback Lehi Hopoate.
“My job is not to question doctors,” Woolf said.
“They were both comfortable with that and comfortable with him coming on to the field.”
Katoa was taken to hospital with concussion symptoms after a medicab took him away from the bench area in the second half.
“He has gone to hospital after he wasn’t too great on the sideline. I don’t know the full details but the doctors have gone with him,” Woolf said.
New Zealand secured its place in the final against Samoa next Sunday in Sydney with a dominant performance, by fullback Keano Kini and five-eighth Dylan Brown.
Tonga needed to win by 18 points to qualify for the final in Sydney on November 9, but was never in the hunt.
Kini had only played six NRL games for Gold Coast in 2025 due to a neck injury.
Keano Kini starred for the Kiwis at fullback in their dominant victory over Tonga. (AAP: NRL Photos/Brett Phibbs)
His late insertion at fullback by coach Stacey Jones was a masterstroke after he had made a late switch of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to centre.
The 21-year-old Kini starred from the outset with his electric feet too hot for Tonga to handle.
Kini started and finished an 85m raid in combination with Casey McLean.
The hosts started to dominate through the middle with Joseph Tapine, James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota immense.
Brown, so effective when he runs the ball, pinned the ears back from close range to make it 12-0.
He finished a length-of-the-field movement with a cross-field kick for the athletic McLean to leap high and score his seventh try from just three Tests.
Second-rower Briton Nikora was lethal on the right edge and centre Matt Timoko made it 24-2 at half-time.
On the cusp of the break, Kiwi forward Erin Clark was sin-binned.
Tonga crossed for their first try through forward Demitric Vaimauga after dynamism from bench hooker Soni Luke.
Their joy was short-lived, with Brown setting up Nicoll-Klokstad for a try.
Brown made it a double to showcase his outstanding Pacific Cup form as the floodgates opened.
The Kiwis received powerhouse performances from their bench forwards Xavier Willison, Naufahu Whyte and Clark.
Tonga second-rower Eliesa Katoa was in the wars, leaving the field for two HIAs during play after suffering a head knock in the warm-up.
His side missed tackles, dropped the ball and were a major disappointment in the Pacific Cup after losing 34-6 to Samoa the previous week.
The return of lock and co-captain Jason Taumalolo from a knee injury did give Tonga more oomph up front, but the Kristian Woolf-coached side has plenty to work ahead if they are to figure at next year’s World Cup.
Church stars on debut as Jillaroos defeat Kiwi Ferns
Australia fullback Abbi Church has produced a spectacular Test debut in a hard-fought 10-4 Pacific Cup win over New Zealand.
Abbi Church scored one try and set up another on her Test debut.
Church, 27, came into the starting side when first-choice fullback Tamika Upton was ruled out with a calf strain, and set up a try before scoring one herself at Eden Park.
It was a debut to remember in a titanic and physically gruelling struggle between the world’s two best teams, who will meet again in the tournament’s final in Sydney on November 9.
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The first half was physical, with both sides defending brilliantly.
Halfback Jesse Southwell had put up a kick for winger Julia Robinson to dive and catch the ball on the full and score a cracker last week against Samoa, and she tried it again. Robinson raced towards the ball, but it just eluded her grasp.
The hosts also showcased a slick kicking game with five-eighth Patricia Maliepo a stand-out. Half Raecene McGregor slid a deft kick through for fullback Apii Nicholls to just be denied by a last ditch effort by Church.
Parramatta flyer Church, who ran for 197m, showed great awareness in a short-side play to set up star winger Jessica Sergis for the only try of the first half. In the 32nd minute, the Sydney Roosters powerhouse beat three defenders with strength and determination.
Church scored in the 43rd minute after chasing a Southwell kick to give the visitors a 10-0 lead.
The Ferns were not done. Second-rower Annessa Biddle raced 78m from a standing start to score a sensational individual try and set up a thrilling final 20 minutes.
The hosts almost levelled when centre Abigail Roche grounded a McGregor kick on the dead-ball line.
Jillaroos hooker Keeley Davis suffered an early elbow injury and could be in doubt for the final.
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