Anthony Tupou the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. He was named in the Australia squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, replacing Michael Crocker who withdrew through injury. Although also named in the Tonga training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, Tupou played for Australia. Tupou played for the Sharks mainly at second-row forward. Tupou was named in NSW's preliminary 40 man squad for the 2009 State of Origin series. He was selected for Country in the City vs Country match on 8 May 2009. In 2013, Tupou played for the Tonga national rugby league team in their Pacific
Tupou VI included peacekeeping operations in Bougainville. He graduated with a masters in Defence Studies from the University of New South Wales in 1997 and with an MA in International Relations from Bond University in 1999. In 1998 he ended his military career to become part of the government, first as the defence minister and the foreign minister at the same time, from October 1998 until August 2004. He took over these posts from his elder brother Tupoutoʻa, at that time still the crown prince, later to become King Siaosi Tupou V (see below). Soon he was appointed as Prime Minister on