Pool A/Tonga 19 Samoa 15:Tonga upset their more fancied South Pacific rivals Samoa in a fiery encounter in Montpellier yesterday to win their second World Cup match in five days.
Tonga finished the game with just 13 players after Hale T Pote was sent off for foul play and replacement Toma Toke was sinbinned. They held on grimly to leapfrog England into second place in the Pool A standings after their 25-15 win over the United States on Wednesday. Samoa went into yesterday' match expected to win and set up their big clash with England after thumping Tonga 50-3 earlier this year.
But the match suddenly came alive in the second half when Tongan centre Epeli Taione scored and the Tongans almost threw it all away with 10 minutes of madness. Tonga had opened the scoring in the third minute with a penalty from their chunky outhalf Pierre Hola but Samoa equalised three minutes later when Gavin Williams kicked the first of his five penalties. The Samoan fullback kicked four in the first half hour of the match while Tonga were reduced to 14 men after the sinbinning of Taione.
Tonga started to take control late in the first half, reducing the deficit to 12-6 at the break when Hola banged over a penalty from in front. Hola kicked his third penalty just after the restart then spurned the chance of a fourth that would have levelled the scores when the Tongan skipper Nili Latu ordered him to kick for the sideline.
Tonga's decision paid off when they won the ensuing lineout and set up a rolling maul which ended with Taione crashing over for the only try of the match.
SAMOA: Williams; Tagicakibau, Savealii, Mapusua, A. Tuilagi; Crichton, Sooialo; Lealamanua, Schwalger, Johnston, J. Tekori, Thompson, Leo, Ulia, Sititi. Replacements: Lemi for Tagicakibau (56), Poluleuigaga for Sooialo (58), Fuga for Schwalger (59), Salanoa for Johnston (56), Lafaiali'i for J. Tekori (63), Purdie for Ulia (63).
TONGA: Lilo; Tu'ifua, Hufanga, Taione, Vaka; Hola, Taufa; S. Tonga'uiha, Taukafa, Pulu, Afeaki, Hehea, T-Pole, Latu, Maka. Replacements: H. Tonga'uiha for Tu'ifua (57), Tupou for Taione (73), Tuipulotu for Taufa (43), Toke for S. Tonga'uiha (73), Lutui for Taukafa (51), Vaki for Afeaki (56). Sin Bin: Taione (28), Toke (75). Sent Off: T-Pole (72).
Referee: J Kaplan (South Africa).
Noon's cup over
England confirmed yesterday that centre Jamie Noon's World Cup was over but retained hope that Jason Robinson could recover to feature later in the tournament.
Noon was carried off on a stretcher in the last minute of Friday's 36-0 defeat by South Africa and a scan revealed medial ligament damage in his left knee that will keep him out of action for up to six weeks
The news was more encouraging for Robinson, who damaged his left hamstring while sprinting for the line in a rare England attack. The 33-year-old, who had never previously torn a hamstring, also had a scan and the results indicated he might be able to return to action sooner than at first feared.
