New Zealand v Tonga, Fiji v Lebanon and Samoa v Papua New Guinea – live scores, commentary and highlights

Troy Whittaker

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New Zealand v Tonga, Fiji v Lebanon and Samoa v Papua New Guinea – live scores, commentary and highlights image

The NRL is absent from our screens this weekend but we still have a delicious super Saturday serving of footy to tear into with three juicy international matches.

First up is what's sure to be an absolute belter between New Zealand and Tonga over the ditch at Mt Smart Stadium.

Next, we'll move to Leichhardt Oval where Fiji will take on Lebanon, who are confirmed to run out despite threatening a boycott earlier this week due to a dispute with the Cedars board.

And to finish, Papua New Guinea will do battle with a strong Samoa side to close out a Leichhardt double-header.

Kick back and relax with us as we bring you live scores, commentary and highlights from each game.

Scroll down for updates.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA v SAMOA LIVE BLOG

FULL-TIME: Aaaand it's all over. Samoa take this one 24-6. Thanks for tuning in throughout the day.

77th minute: TRY! Samoan pivot Chanel Harris-Tavita missed the one point but picked up four! His field goal attempt bounced off the upright and fortuitously sat up in the in-goal to be swooped on. Isaako converted and that will do it for Samoa. Samoa lead 24-6.

70th minute: Ahhh, we've put the mock on the Milf. He split the defence and seemed certain to score but spilled his lollies in the in-goal area. Oops.

69th minute: WHAM! Anthony Milford has been on a mission tonight. The little fella is putting everything into his defence. It begs the question – where's it been for the Broncos?

66th minute: TRY! That was almost too easy for Junior Paulo, with a path to the line opening up for the front-rower. To be fair, who in their right mind wouldn't get out of the road when a 110-kilogram weapon is hurtling at you? Isaako knocked over the goal. Is that enough to seal the result? Samoa lead 18-6.

64th minute: Still no change from the half-time score. The contact in this match has been HEAVY. We're sore just watching.

41st minute: WHOOSKA! James Gavet wound up and crashed through the PNG defence when bringing the ball back off the second half kick-off.

HALF-TIME: Samoa have a six-point buffer at the break.

38th minute: NO TRY! Chanel Harris-Tavita looked to have scored for Samoa after collecting a kick but the Bunker found the five-eighth to be offside.

35th minute: Samoa's Mason Lino has been placed on report for making contact to Wapi with his knees in an ugly incident.

He could find himself in trouble with the Match Review Committee.

30th minute: TRY! Papua New Guinea have fired back at Samoa via winger Terry Wapi, who stormed to the line from dummy-half. The deadly Rhyse Martin converted. Samoa lead 12-6.

26th minute: Coach killer right there with PNG failing to find touch from a penalty.

22nd minute: TRY! Samoa extended their advantage with Josh Aloiai bustling his way to four points after steaming onto a Luai pass. Conversion succesful. Samoa lead 6-0.

14th minute: OOOFT! Samoa prop Junior Paulo has come up with a BELLRINGER on Nixon Putt. In the immortal words of Andrew Voss: "That's 8.5 on the Richter scale!"

5th minute: TRY! Samoa have hit the front through Jarome Luai. The hooker busted the line with some sleek footwork after collecting an offload. Jamayne Isaako knocked over the goal. Samoa lead 6-0.

8:00pm: KICK-OFF! PNG will truck it up first.

How about this, though? Awesome.

FIJI V LEBANON LIVE BLOG

FULL-TIME: Fiji have run out resounding 58-14 victors versus the gallant Cedars.

80th minute: TRY! Jayson Bukuya has ended proceedings with his second try. A huge overlap on the right edge after a break and Bukuya was able to stroll over. Quality performance from Fiji. Robbie Farah attempted to kick the goal for the Bati before Junior Roqica nudged the ball through the sticks for real. 

Brandon Wakeham's 20-point haul gives him the record of most points in a match for the Bati. Fiji win 58-14.

75th minute: TRY! These forwards are getting cocky now. Fiji prop Korbim Sims produced a pass befitting of a halfback to put lock Jayson Bukuya in to score.

Fiji have raised the bat for a well-crafted half-ton. Fiji lead 52-14.

70th minute: TRY! Fiji hooker Joe Lovodua has gone in for a much-deserved try. The Dragons player has been among his side's best tonight. Wakeham converted. Fiji lead 46-14.

65th minute: TRY! Miski has bagged his double after a slick pass from teenage centre Jacob Kiraz, who is fresh on the field.

A fun fact pointed out in commentary: Kiraz was not yet two years old when teammate Robbie Farah, 35, began his NRL career. Wild. Fiji lead 40-14.

55th minute: TRY! Lebanon winger/Josh Mansour clone Abbas Miski has nabbed the second try for the Cedars after bursting onto a pinpoint Robbie Farah grubber.

The margin stands at 30 now. The comeback is on. Okay, maybe not, but Lebanon's fight is great to see. Fiji lead 40-10.

44th minute: TRY! Number two for Sivo. Brute strength from the Parramatta star. Wakeham added the extras. 

If this was a boxing bout, the referee would have stepped in a long time ago. Fiji lead 40-4.

HALF-TIME: Fiji are up 34-4 in a one-sided affair.

37th minute: TRY! The Cedars are off the mark through Michael Lichaa. The hooker burrowed to the line from a metre out. The conversion was waved away. Fiji lead 34-4.

31st minute: TRY! Vunivalu has bagged his double after extensive review from the Bunker. Wakeham nailed the goal.

The superior NRL experience of the Bati is telling. Fiji lead 34-0.

27th minute: TRY! Yep, another one – word to DJ Khaled. This time Wakeham gets the spoils. The highly-rated 20-year-old Canterbury half has given a great account of himself so far.

The No.7 converted for good measure. Fiji lead 28-0.

24th minute: TRY! This is getting ugly, folks. Sivo got Fiji into an attacking position with a long break and a few plays later the big, bad Viliame Kikau barged in to score.

Conversion successful. A cricket score looms.

Sportsbet's Joel Caine has asked Twitter how many meaties Sivo will end up with. At this rate, our guess is four-plus. Fiji lead 22-0.

19th minute: TRY! THAT IS STUPENDOUS! Both Fijian wingers are on the board with Maika Sivo soaring high to reel in a bomb and score.

Wakeham missed from the tee for the first time tonight.

Fiji's ability to produce athletic, try-scoring flankers is unmatched. Fiji lead 16-0.

18th minute: TRY! Suliasi Vunivalu took flight to gracefully dive over in the right corner. Wakeham was on target again. Fiji lead 12-0.

10th minute: TRY! There was no halting Fiji prop Tui Kamikamica that close to the stripe! Brandon Wakeham converted. Fiji lead 6-0.

5:41pm: KICK-OFF! Fiji have first use of the ball.

NEW ZEALAND V TONGA LIVE BLOG

FULL-TIME: New Zealand prevail 34-14 after an entertaining game.

77th minute: TRY! Daniel Tupou nabs a late one for Tonga to give the scoreline a sheen of respectability. New Zealand lead 34-14.

75th minute: TRY! It should be illegal for someone as big as Jason Taumalolo to throw such a dextrous pass. The lock's lovely flat ball put Sio Siua Taukeiaho over and gave the Tongan fans something to sing about. New Zealand lead 34-10.

68th minute: TRY! Call off the fight. Joseph Manu has added his name to the scoresheet to land another punch on the chin of the already unconscious Tonga team. New Zealand lead 34-4.

63rd minute: TRY! Jahrome Hughes has crossed for New Zealand to wrap up the result. Marsters converts. New Zealand lead 28-4.

59th minute: New Zealand fans rejoice – you have your first penalty!

44th minute: TRY! Johnson has three! Brandon Smith jumped out of dummy-half and grubbered the footy ahead.

Tonga couldn't clean up and the Bunker ruled that SJ swooped to ground the ball before RTS. The fullback might have been robbed here.

RTS and Johnson tried to settle the argument with a game of scissors, paper, rock – RTS won, but the try is already in the books next to Johnson's name. 

Marsters converted. New Zealand lead 22-4.

SECOND HALF IS UNDERWAY! Roger Tuivasa-Sheck gets us going again.

40th minute: SHAUN. FREAKING. JOHNSON.

The wizard has gone in for his second meaty on the stroke of half-time. Another show-and-go and the pivot was too powerful to stop from close range.

Some return to Mt Smart Stadium for Johnson, who's playing at the venue for the first time since departing the Warriors to join Cronulla. And don't the fans love it.

The Kiwi halves have owned the first stanza. New Zealand lead 16-4 at half-time.

38th minute: Someone check the pulse of Tongan coach Kristian Woolf! In his own in-goal, Daniel Tupou chucked a bullet offload that was too much to handle for Will Hopoate.

Luckily, the fullback recovered to ground the ball and force a dropout in the nick of time.

37th minute: Hot potato, razzle-dazzle play from Tonga almost resulted in points.

But the old dog Benji Marshall popped up in cover to prevent David Fusitu'a from touching down in the corner.

Ah, rugby league, you beautiful beast. This is enthralling.

30th minute: TRY! Benji Marshall linked with silky Shaun Johnson who snuck past the Tongan defence with a smart dummy to notch his 12th Test four-pointer. Heart-eye emojis all round.

What a match we have on our hands. Marsters booted the extras. New Zealand lead 12-4.

22nd minute: TRY! Air Daniel Tupou! The Tongan winger soared high and tapped a cross-field bomb back for centre Solomone Kata to score in the corner. The Bunker couldn't take that one away.

Kotoni Staggs hooked the conversion to the left. We have a ball game, folks! New Zealand lead 6-4.

19th minute: So close! Jason Taumalolo has been denied a try by the Bunker, who ruled he was held up by the desperate Kiwis defence after attempting to barge over from dummy-half.

Centimetres in it. Marshall was the man who stopped the freight train.

13th minute: TRY! New Zealand have struck first through hooker Brandon Smith, who darted and weaved his way to the line from 35 metres out.

"One of the great Test tries," cried commentator Andrew Voss. Esan Marsters made no mistake with the conversion. New Zealand lead 6-0.

8th minute: A scare for Tongan forward Manu Ma'u, who went down with a neck concern.

Fortunately he's up and about and able to continue on.

3:44pm: KICK-OFF! Buckle up, we're in for one helluva ride.

3:42pm: Spinetingling scenes with Tonga performing a rousing Sipi Tau and Benji Marshall leading a stirring New Zealand haka.

 An emotional day for Marshall – recalled after seven years in the Test wilderness – as he shed tears during the national anthem.

3:26pm: Not long now. These nations haven't met since Tonga incredibly upset the Kiwis 28-22 in the pool stage of the 2017 World Cup.

Expect the opening stages to be fiery as New Zealand look to restamp their authority.

2:50pm: To get you in the mood, feast your eyes on this. Mouthwatering.

Benji is back in the black and white for the first time since 2012 at the ripe old age of 34. There's still magic in the veteran's legs yet.

2:40pm: One hour until kick-off. Here's how the teams will line up.

Troy Whittaker