Tonga beat defending champions Samoa 29 – 19: 2011 Pacific Nations Cup – Rugby update
Tonga defeated the defending champions Samoa 29 – 19 at Lautoka on Wednesday, July 13. This was one of the deciding matches of the tournament but Japan’s heroics denied Tonga from winning the 2011 International Rugby Board (IRB) 2011 Pacific Nations Cup.
Both Japan and Tonga had secured 10 points from their three matches in the competition. However, Japan had better head-to-head result against Tonga. Japan’s impressive 28 – 27 victory over Tonga helped them win the title.
Tonga started the match against Samoa needing a bonus point victory to confirm the title and both teams started the match in an attacking mood. Tonga were first to score points in the match courtesy of their fly half Kurt Morath’s first minute penalty. Samoa
replied quickly as they won two penalties in a span of three minutes. Samoa’s fullback, James So’oialo, missed the first penalty but scored on his second penalty in the fourth minute of the game to equalise the score. A couple of minutes later So’oialo missed
his second penalty of the game.
Tonga took the lead in the 16th minute of the match courtesy of Morath’s successful penalty. In reply, Samoa’s winger, David Lemi, scored the first try of the match in the 17th minute. So’oialo followed with a conversion to take the
scorecard reading to 10 – 6.
In the remaining passage of the first-half, Tonga was able to hold possession of the ball and gain the territory. Morath’s 20th minute penalty reduced the deficit to just a single point.
Tongan prop, Fakaanaua ki Alisona Taumalolo’s, 32nd minute try put the Tonga in the lead for the first time in the game. Morath followed with another successful conversion and penalty in the 35th minute of the game to take the score to19 – 10,
which remained the same by the end of the first-half.
The defending champions started the second-half with new motivation. So’oialo scored three consecutive penalties in the 42nd, 44th and 20th minute of the game to again level the scores. With momentum on their side, Samoa looked like
they were on a winning track.
However, the Tongans held their nerves, played some disciplined rugby and capitalised on Samoan’s mistake.
In the last quarter of the game, Tonga came back swiftly and scored 10 points in the period. Morath scored his fifth penalty of the game in the 67th minute. He failed to successfully kick the penalty couple of minutes later.
Tongan winger, William Helu, scored the second try of the game in the 76th minute. Morath followed with a successful conversion to take the score to 29 – 19. Morath finished the match with 19 points in the game that included five penalties and
two conversions.
Tongan head coach, Isitolo Maka, expressed his satisfaction with the performance of his unit during the 2011 Pacific Nations Cup. However, he stressed that players needed to work harder to lift their game for the upcoming 2011 Rugby World Cup.
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