Tonga and Samoa have met on 22 previous occasions.

Tonga have won 10 to Samoa's 11, with one draw.

The teams met at the quarter-final stage of the last Rugby League World Cup, with Samoa winning a classic 20-18 in Warrington.

They also won the last meeting between the sides in 2025 by a score of 34-6..

This very much feels like unstoppable force v the immovable object.

And away we go.

As an illustration of the high quality on display for this one: No fewer than eight of the players featuring today played some part in this year's State of Origin series, while a ninth - Dolphins and Queensland forward Kulikefu Finefeuiaki - is on Tonga's reserve list.

Samoa full-back Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored in all three Origin Tests for Queensland, although it wasn't enough to secure the series, which New South Wales clinched 2-1 in Brisbane in July.

The eight Origin 2026 men on show today:

Tonga: Tolu Koula, Addin Fonua-Blake, Haumole Olakau'atu (New South Wales), Robert Toia, Jojo Fifita (Queensland).

Samoa: Brian To'o, Stephen Crichton (New South Wales), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Queensland).

Tonga are up first. This is spine-tingling stuff as they get into the Sipi Tau.

Samoa face up to the challenge being laid down and now launch themselves into the Siva Tau.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Wow - everyone is pumped here.

And there really is an explosion of blue and red across the home of the Parramatta Eels.

Could this be a dress rehearsal for the final?

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Matthew Elliott
Former Bradford Bulls head coach on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Amazing anthems and both the singers were incredible. And what about the crowd joining in?

It's national anthem time as we get ready for the kick-off and the traditional war dances prior to play getting under way.

England have of course got a tiny bit of skin in the game when it comes to this match.

But had they managed to stick another 30 points or so on Papua New Guinea, Brian McDermott and his side would have been keeping a far closer eye on this match.

That is because England can now only reach the last four if Tonga defeat Samoa by more than 46 points.

As good as Kristian Woolf's side are, that appears highly improbable given they lost 34-6 to Samoa 12 months ago in Brisbane and have not registered a win over their neighbours since 2018.

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Tonga and Samoa both know what they need to do to reach the semi-finals, and they may well end up both going through - but the fierce rivalry between them doesn't really allow for a carve-up.

Samoa beat Tonga 34-6 during last year's Pacific Championships. And in the build-up to today's rematch, Tonga half-back Isaiya Katoa has made clear that he wants revenge.

"We always look forward to playing Samoa," Katoa said. "They are like our brothers; whenever you're going up against your brother, you always want to get one up on them.

"We were really disappointed in how we performed last year. We are hoping to improve on last year's performance."

Half-back Isaiya Katoa - who was the standout player as Tonga beat England 30-12 two weeks ago - has recovered from an ankle problem, and so returns after sitting out the win over Lebanon. It means Tui Lolohea shifts to stand-off, and Latu Fainu drops down to the bench.

Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and centre Rob Toia return to the starting side, meaning Sione Katoa and Paul Alamoti - both try scorers against Lebanon - drop out.

Tyson Frizell returns at loose forward - he is representing a third different country at a World Cup, having played for Wales in 2013 and Australia in 2017.

Tonga: Lehi Hopoate, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Tolutau Koula, Robert Toia, Jojo Fifita, Tui Lolohea, Isaiya Katoa, Addin Fonua-Blake, Salesi Foketi, Jason Taumalolo, Haumole Olakau'atu, Siua Wong, Tyson Frizell.

Interchange: Soni Luke, Stefano Utoikamanu, Demitric Vaimauga, Taniela Paseka, Leka Halasima, Latu Fainu.

Image source, Getty Images

One late change for Samoa - head coach Ben Gardiner had initially planned to go with the same 13 who started the 64-6 victory over Papua New Guinea eight days ago, but Jazz Tevaga has come in at hooker, with Benaiah Ioelu dropping to the bench.

Winger Deine Mariner is still getting back to full fitness after picking up a hamstring injury in the 78-4 win over France on 16 October - but his replacement Sua Fa'alogo hasn't done too badly: Six tries in two matches so far, including four against the French.

Samoa: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Brian To'o, Izack Tago, Stephen Crichton, Sualauvi Fa'alogo, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Jarome Luai, Francis Molo, Jazz Tevaga, Junior Paulo, Connelly Lemuelu, Jermaine McEwen, Francis Manuleleua.

Interchange: Benaiah Ioelu, Spencer Leniu, Shawn Blore, Ata Mariota, Clayton Faulalo, Ronald Volkman.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

A little bit of news from overnight, which is more than likely to impact on the side that wins this match.

New Zealand winger Ronaldo Mulitalo is set to miss the World Cup semi-final after being handed a Grade Two Careless High Tackle charge.

Mulitalo was sent off in the 52nd minute of Saturday's 78-0 win over Fiji for a high shot on Ronald Philitoga.

The Fiji winger left the field and was ruled out of the rest of the match.

If Mulitalo enters an early guilty plea he will miss New Zealand's semi-final but if he contests the charge and is found guilty he will be banned for two games.

A two-game ban would then rule Mulitalo out of the World Cup final should the Kiwis make it through.

If you are wondering about what has already happened, well...

Rampant Australia racked up the biggest score in international history as they hammered Wales women in a Rugby League World Cup mismatch.

The Jillaroos, hunting a fourth successive title, ran in 21 tries in a predictably lopsided contest in Sydney.

And then Lebanon and France have just played out a dead rubber that may well go down as an all-time classic.

Having led 8-0 and 18-12, Lebanon were repeatedly reeled in by a dogged France side who levelled the match at 20-20 with an Arthur Mourgue field goal with 11 seconds to go.

Cesar Rouge then thought he had won the contest for France but in golden-point extra time but his kick was ruled out when Thomas Lacans was penalised for obstruction.

And then just to add to the drama Mourgue's attempt to clip the ball towards the right wing with seconds remaining in the first period of extra-time was grabbed by Abbas Miski, who crossed to win the match 24-20 for Lebanon.

Morning all.

We've already had the biggest score in international history this morning, a golden-point drama and now we've got a blockbuster clash between Tonga and Samoa.

This is likely to be one of unmissable moments of this World Cup and demand for tickets has been so great that it has caught the organisers out.

The word on the street is that the 30,000 CommBank Stadium could have been filled twice over for this huge match between Pacific Island rivals - a contest that Tonga prop Demitric Vaimauga has called bigger than the World Cup final.

And a plan to shift the fixture from the home of the Parramatta Eels to the 83,500-capacity Accor Stadium, some 20 minutes down the road, had to be shelved as it would have clashed with pre-booked concerts.

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