Pasifika pride finds a home at Rugby League World Cup: ‘Passion brings us together’

The Guardian

Supporters in western Sydney are adding colour and community to the tournament as their home nations compete on the global stage At Harold Wood Uniting Church in Auburn, Viliame and Talita Latu are the centre of attention. The local Tongan congregation, which revitalised the 116-year-old church building in 1997, is celebrating the couple’s first Sunday church service as husband and wife. But the number of Tongan flags fluttering from cars outside show the pair aren’t the only thing on people’s minds this week. Tonga’s representative rugby league team, Mate Ma’a Tonga, handily beat Lebanon’s…