Tonga (18) 31 / Japan (13) 18 (Final Score)
Tonga and Japan did battle in Whangarei at 09:30 SA Time (19:30 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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What a good action-packed match!
The sides went hammer and tongs from the word go, no standing back!
It was thrust and parry, defend and run… brutal but honest rugby.
Scorers:
Tonga:
- Penalties – Kurt Morath (4)
- Drop Goals – 0
- Tries – Viliafi Ma’afu (1), Tukulua Lokotui (1), Tetu’u Vainikolo (1)
- Conversions – Kurt Morath (2)
Japan:
- Penalties – Shaun Webb (1)
- Drop Goals – 0
- Tries – Kensuke Hatakeyama (1), Michael Leitch (1), Alisi Tupuailai (1)
- Conversions – 0
Teams:
Tonga: 15 Vungakoto Lilo, 14 Fetu’u Vainikolo, 13 Siale Piutau, 12 Alipate Fatafehi, 11 Sukanaivalu Hufanga, 10 Kurt Morath, 9 Taniela Moa, 8 Viliami Ma’afu, 7 Sione Vaiomo’unga, 6 Sione Kalamafoni, 5 Paino Hehea, 4 Tukulua Lokotui, 3 Taufa’ao Filise, 2 Aleki Lutui (captain), 1 Soane Tonga’uiha.
Replacements: 16 Aloisio Ma’asi, 17 Alisona Taumalolo, 18 Halani Aulika, 19 Joseph Tu’ineau, 20 Samiu Vahafolau, 21 Samisoni Fisilau, 22 Viliame Iongi.
Japan: 15 Shaun Webb, 14 Kosuke Endo, 13 Alisi Tupuailai, 12 Ryan Nicholas, 11 Hirotoki Onozawa, 10 James Arlidge, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Takashi Kikutani (captain), 7 Michael Leitch, 6 Itaru Taniguchi, 5 Toshizumi Kitagawa, 4 Luke Thompson, 3 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Hisateru Hirashima.
Replacements: 16 Yusuke Aoki, 17 Nozomu Fujita, 18 Hitoshi Ono, 19 Sione Talikavili Vatuvei, 20 Atsushi Hiwasa, 21 Takehisa Usuzuki, 22 Murray Williams.
Date: Wednesday 21 September
Kick-off: 09:30 SA Time (19:30 NZ Time)
Venue: Northland Events Centre, Whangarei
Expected weather: Fine with a westerly breeze. Max 19°C, Min 9°C.
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Stuart Terheege (England)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Tonga 12 / 5
Hard battle… interesting game
Japan hard on attack again
Knock and Tonga runs it back… good scrambling defence from Japan.
Japan get a relieving penalty
These two sides are giving everything!
Scrum for Japan, about 15m out
Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha!
Ciao a tutti!
Go the rising sun!
Japan not shying away from the physical battle…
Tryyyyyyyyyyyyyy Japan, Michael Leitch
Lekker match this. Quite enjoying it!
Tonga 12 / 10
Would like to see Japan win this one.
Penalty Tonga… kickable, just about on the 22m line of Japan
Tonga 15 / 10
39 @ The_Young_Turk:
Yip, very good.
They are going hammer and tongs… or is that Tongas… at each other.
Yellow Card to Arlidge of Japan
Tonga 18 / 10
Penalty Tonga, in their own half
Julle kan maar saamgesels, nê!
Sorry to hear about your wife Bigblu. Hope she’s better soon. Those tummy bugs can be real buggers and can bugger you up so much, you can do buggerall, if you know what i mean.
Japan lineout… and Japan maul it up
What so nice to see about the minnows is the uninhibited passion with which they play the game.
Penalty Japan… and it’s a go for posts, just outside the 22
Tonga 18 / 13
48 @ The_Young_Turk:
Thanks Turkey…
Yup, it’s a bugger, she was not looking good or feeling well.
Going to visit her in hospital after this match
Lemoenetyd
@ grootblousmile:
Take her a turkey sandwich from me
Have to leave now and will miss the second half. Go Japan!
2nd Half ON!
No let off in the pace in the early stages of the 2nd half either
Morning Almal!
10 Phases by Tonga… then wide left, making good ground… but an eventual knock by Tonga
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