A sea of Tongan red will meet Joe Tapine when he represents New Zealand this weekend but the Canberra Raiders star could hardly be happier about it.
In what will be the first professional rugby league match in NZ since before the pandemic, the Kiwis will host Tonga at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday in front of what is widely tipped to be a huge contingent of away supporters.
Tapine, whose sparkling form makes him a shoo-in to start in the NZ front row, said the entire experience of playing back in his home country would be an emotional one.