A ruthlessly efficient Australian team have beaten Mate Ma’a Tonga 34-16 in last night’s historic rugby league clash in Auckland last night.

According to Radionz, the final 40 minutes proved a much tighter affair, with both sides finding it hard to breach the defensive line.

Tongan coach Kristian Woolf says a poor first half proved costly.

Despite defeat on the scoreboard, the sea of Tongan supporters remained vocal during the game and long after the full-time siren sounded, ready to do it all again when Mate Ma’a Tonga take on the Kiwis in June next year.