23 Sep 2020

Sport: Tonga NRL appeal adjourned until December

7:19 am on 23 September 2020

Tonga National Rugby League's appeal against its expulsion from the sport's global governing body has been adjourned until December.

TNRL was expelled from the International Rugby League in March, after a long-running battle over governance, money and a threatened player boycott.

Tonga celebrates their win against Australia at the final whistle, during the rugby league match between the Australian Kangaroos and Tonga Invitational XIII at Eden Park, Auckland.  02 November  2019

Photo: Photosport Ltd 2019

It appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport with the hearing originally scheduled to take place today via video conference.

But the date of the hearing has been vacated.

TNRL Secretary William Edwards says the IRL have advised the Court the time allocated for the hearing was not sufficient, after TNRL filed 12 witness statements on September 7.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland

The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland Photo: AFP

The case has been adjourned until December while both parties have been instructed to discuss the agreed statement of facts and those that are disputed.

IRL Global Operations Manager Danny Kazandjian previously told RNZ Pacific that both legal teams were working together on some preliminary issues.