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NRL referee Kasey Badger has made history, becoming the first female official to take charge of a men's World Cup game.
- Kasey Badger has created history in becoming the first woman to referee a men's rugby league World Cup match
- Badger had previously acted as a touch judge but was in the middle for Tonga's clash with Wales
- The Tongans scored the win and are on track for a quarter-final battle with arch rivals Samoa
Badger refereed Tonga's win over Wales after previously acting as a tough judge earlier in the tournament.
"I hope in years to come there will be a female who approaches me and says: 'I took up refereeing because I saw you referee that game, or I read an article, or I saw something on TV about you refereeing that Test match.'" Badger told the BBC last week.
"That's what moments like this can generate, getting it out to the wider public.
"There's a young girl who might start refereeing or get involved in rugby league in some capacity; whether that be as a fan, player or as a coach, whatever it might be – they might get involved because they see what I'm about to do.
"I more had my mind on touch-judging in the men's games and potentially getting to referee some of the women's games, so when I found out this would happening it was a complete shock."
After the match, Tonga's Siosiua Taukeiaho said he was excited by the prospect of an all-Pacific quarter-final meeting with rivals Samoa, after seeing off a spirited Wales 32-6 in St Helens.
Kristian Woolf's side were below their best before rallying in the second half courtesy of a Daniel Tupou hat-trick to strengthen their hopes of finishing on top of Group D.
Provided Tonga beat the Cook Islands next week and Samoa overcome France in Group A, the two giants of the Pacific look set to meet in a tantalising battle in the last eight.
"It's what most people would like to see, Tonga v Samoa. Both nations battling it out to see who wins," Taukeiaho said.
"We don't really mind who we play, whether it's England or Samoa. Whoever it is, we'll take them on."
There is still work to be done for Tonga, who after being the surprise package of the 2017 tournament have encountered two tough assignments to start their campaign with victories over Papua New Guinea and Wales.
"It's hard sometimes when you have a look at a team sheet and our team wouldn't recognise too many of the names there," Woolf said.
"It's a little bit more difficult to get yourself up for them [compared to] when you're playing a team that you know everyone you're playing against."
Woolf is expected to welcome back Jason Taumalolo from suspension for next week's meeting with the Cook Islands and said centre Moses Suli and halfback Isaiya Katoa should also be available.
The Tonga coach will check on first-choice hooker Siliva Havili and fullback Will Hopoate, who have not been sighted since the start of the tournament.This Welsh side is primarily drawn from part-time players but they more than held their gloves up to a Tonga side laced with NRL talent.
AAP/ABC