Tonga's national team will be rebadged as a Tonga Invitational XIII to help save end-of-season Tests against Great Britain and Australia.

Kristian Woolf is poised to return as head coach of the Pacific nation, which has been engulfed in a tug of war over control of the country's national body amid a push for Israel Folau to return to the 13-player game.

But an impasse is set to be reached as soon as Thursday with the Rugby League International Federation expected to confirm the country's availability for two Tests in New Zealand in coming weeks.

A host of Tonga's biggest stars are expected to be chosen for the matches against the Great Britain Lions in Hamilton and against world champions Australia the following week at Auckland's Eden Park, while Woolf will also take charge of the country's World Cup 9s outfit.