Tonga will tackle the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) in a Sydney court on Friday in a last-ditch bid to play Fuifui Moimoi and Taniela Tuiaki in the World Cup.

Papers were served on the RLIF on Thursday ahead of the legal showdown in the NSW Supreme Court.

"We're hoping for it (victory) but it's going to be a tough one," Tonga team manager William Edwards told AAP.

"We do have it in the back of our minds they may rule against us but we just want to get it done."

Parramatta's Moimoi and Tuiaki of Wests Tigers are taking legal action in a bid to play on Monday against Ireland at Parramatta Stadium.

They have played for Tonga but are ineligible to do so at the World Cup, having represented New Zealand in 2007.

Players are only able to transfer teams once every two years.

Edwards said the RLIF had tightened player-eligibility rules because they had taken a "hammering" in the media after the 2000 tournament.

"There were allegations teams lacked credibility with players switching between countries," Edwards said.

"But the reality is a small country like Tonga doesn't have the money to finance ... players.

"So when New Zealand dangles a carrot in front of these blokes of course they are going to play. To play for an Australian or New Zealand jersey means quite a lot for some of these players.

"Of course they are going to go but they don't tell them 'we need you this year but we may not need you for the World Cup'.

"Had they told these players `we haven't factored you in for our World Cup squad', do you think these players would have gone?

"Look at Fui. He played for us in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006. All of a sudden they say `we need a prop going up the middle of the field because we are a bit short-staffed'.

"He plays for them and then this year they say 'we don't need you' and then international board says `sorry you can't play for Tonga, the country of your birth'.

"So the player feels that he has been done hard-done by. They don't explain these rules to them.

"They don't sit them aside and say 'if you play for us, you are not going to be able to play in the World Cup next year for Tonga'.

"From 2003 right up until last year, we played an international in Tonga against Fiji last year. So how can we ask the players to stay loyal to us when they are not giving us internationals?"

RLIF Chairman and World Cup Tournament Director Colin Love said the federation would strongly defend its rules.

"The player (Moimoi) had in November 2007 made an unambiguous application to have New Zealand recognised as his country of election for both the 2007 All Golds Tour and the 2008 World Cup tournament," Love said in a statement.

"The Tongan Rugby League has been aware of this and of the RLIF rules binding on it that allow only one change of election in any two-year period.

"The RLIF will most certainly defend the proceedings."

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