Rugby League: Kiwis make secret pact to play for Tonga

Jason Taumalolo is leading an eight-player revolt of New Zealand league stars who have opted to play for Tonga at the Rugby League World Cup.

The Daily Telegraph is reporting that Tui Lolohea (Wests Tigers), Solomone Kata (Warriors), Konrad Hurrell (Titans), Manu Vatuvei (Salford), Manu Ma'u (Eels) and David Fusitu'a (Warriors) are set to join Taumalolo and make themselves available for Tonga.

Lolohea, Kata, Maʻu, Fusitu'a and Vatuvei have played for both nations in recent times with Warriors winger Fusitu'a the most likely to be in the Kiwis plans for the tournament which begins on October 27.

Sydney Roosters' Sio Siua Taukeiaho, who has one cap for New Zealand, confirmed he will play for Tonga, the Telegraph reports.

The Tongan squad is named at 11.45am today with the Kiwis squad named at 1pm.

"I really enjoyed my time within the Tongan World Cup squad last time and have had a long-time association with Tongan coach Kristian Woolf," Taumalolo said in a statement on Wednesday.

Under international league eligibility rules, players who qualify for more than one country can choose to represent a tier-two nation if they do not play for one of the three tier-one nations.

According to the Telegraph the eight players decided to make the allegiences with Tonga following New Zealand Rugby League's handling of Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor for breaking team protocol earlier in the year.

The pair were suspended from the World Cup after they were caught on CCTV allegedly buying cocaine from a man in Canberra following a drinking binge in the hours after the Kiwis' Anzac Test loss to Australia in May.

New Zealand and Tonga meet in Hamilton on November 11 in the final pool B group game.