Tonga Beat Lebanon 36-0 With Seven Tries to Set Up Samoa World Cup Showdown

Tonga beat Lebanon 36-0 at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Friday, October 23, 2026, in a Men's Rugby League World Cup pool match. Tonga scored seven tries and conceded none, in front of 25,065 fans. The win keeps Tonga unbeaten after two matches and sets up a sold-out meeting with Samoa next Sunday at the same stadium.

Lebanon made Tonga work for the win. The first half was a hard contest, with Lebanon throwing plenty at Tonga but failing to break a defence that held its line under pressure. Tonga built their opening win over England on defence, and the same pattern decided this match. Their scramble defence in the first half kept Lebanon scoreless while the attack took the chances that came.

Seven tries, none conceded

Sione Katoa opened the scoring in the 13th minute, taking a pass from Lehi Hopoate to cross. Paul Alamoti made it 10-0 in the 21st minute. The try of the match came on the stroke of half time, when Tolutau Koula intercepted a batted-back ball and ran 90 metres to score. That play turned a tight half into a clear lead at the break.

Katoa and Jojo Fifita each finished with two tries. Leka Halasima crashed over late in the match to complete the seven-try count. Lebanon, coached by Michael Cheika, kept asking questions across the 80 minutes, but they could not find a point against a Tonga side that defended its line each time the pressure built.

Without their first-choice halfback

Tonga won without Isaiya Katoa, who was sidelined with an ankle injury. Tui Lolohea stepped in at halfback and guided the side through a physical match. Isaiya Katoa is expected to return for the match against Samoa, which would restore Tonga's first-choice pairing for the biggest pool match of their tournament.

Back rower Haumole Olakau'atu led the Sipi Tau before the match and then produced a physical performance in attack and defence. Head coach Kristian Woolf had set his side a clear task, to avoid any upset against Lebanon before the Samoa match, and his players completed it without conceding a try.

One foot in the semi-finals

The win follows Tonga's 30-12 victory over England in their opening match. Two wins from two matches put Tonga at the top of the combined pool standings at the time of the win and give them a strong position for a semi-final place. It also makes England's task harder, since England now need results elsewhere to go their way as well as wins of their own.

Nothing is settled yet. Tonga close their pool matches against Samoa at CommBank Stadium on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Samoa are also unbeaten, after beating France 78-4 and Papua New Guinea 64-6, so the winner of that match will take a direct path towards the final four. Lebanon finish their tournament against France, another winless team, with both sides playing for a first win.