While international rugby league has historically taken a back seat to the NRL, Tongan coach Dean Young believes the international game is as strong as it has ever been with the World Cup approaching in
Rugby league: Tonga coach Dean Young praises strength of international game ahead of clash against Kiwis
![Christopher Reive](https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/nzme/b521f3be-f6a7-47fb-800b-50fe8bb933a4.png)
Tonga will take on New Zealand at Mt Smart Stadium this weekend. Photo / Getty Images
On the other side of the field, the Kiwis will be fielding their strongest side in years.
"I think the international game is in a great position now. New Zealand have fielded the strongest side they've fielded in a long time. I can't even remember a side being fielded like this," Young said.
"Then you look at what Samoa are going to run out at the World Cup, Fiji are getting stronger, we're in a strong position, so it's going to be a great tournament at the end of the year."
While Tonga will be fielding a quality squad on Saturday evening, the eligibility rules have seen them lose backline stars Daniel Tupou and Siosifa Talakai for the weekend as the pair opted to play in Sunday's State of Origin clash instead, both having been selected to play for New South Wales.
While the Tongan group would undoubtedly like to have Talakai and Tupou available to them this weekend, it isn't likely to do any damage to their preparations for the World Cup in England later in the year if their full squad isn't available to them just yet.
"With the World Cup, it's a longer preparation; you're going to spend a lot more time together so it gives you the opportunity to build those combinations," Young said.
"What [fellow coach] Kristian [Woolf] and I have both said all along is whatever the Tongan players decide to do, we'll support them 100 per cent. It's an honour to play for Tonga and I'm sure whatever squad we take over to England will do their best. That's all we can ask for."