NINE months since Tonga was devastated by a tsunami, the island nation’s rugby league team kicks off its World Cup campaign in St Helens tonight motivated by the thought of putting smiles on faces back home and aiding the healing process.
The eruption of the underwater Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai volcano on 15 January - the largest since Krakatoa in 1883 – triggered the tsunami which caused terrible destruction.
Homes, roads and key infrastructure were razed to the ground while communications to the outside world were severed and volcanic ash covered a vast area, prompted the Tongan PM to declare a state of emergency.
And Tonga's troubles didn't end there, but a rebuild operation has been in action since.
And although sporting success in the rugby league World Cup will not lay a single brick, it could heal a lot of psychological wounds and make the island nation proud.
Tonga boss Kristian Woolf said: “The country has gone through that sort of hardship at the start of the year – and it was not just the tsunami it was Covid and the things that came in the aftermath as well.
“I know that a real motivator for this group is to put a smile back on the people’s faces and making them really proud to be Tongan again.
“It helps that healing process back home.
“When you look at this group – Jason Taumalolo and the guys who like him who have made a lot of sacrifices and started that trend of players wanting to play for their heritage nations rather than the big nations and make that sacrifice.
“That was all done around wanting to represent the country and want to make people back in Tonga really proud, have a smile on their face and really put something back to the country where most of these guys’ mothers and fathers grew up and have lived.
“Some of our guys were born there and the connection is really close and strong.
“Players are getting social media messages all the time but the overall message is of being extremely proud of a group of men who have put their hand up to wear the red jersey.”
Tonga play Papua New Guinea at the Totally Wicked Stadium tonight, 7.30pm.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here