South Africa Vs Tonga: South Africa Survived a Scare to Tonga in the Rugby World Cup
In arguably the best game of the Rugby World Cup in Lens, South Africa prevailed over Tonga 30-25 after surviving a scare. Today in Lens, South Africa had to overcome a real scare against energized Tonga in order to make it three wins out of three in Pool A. With 21 minutes remaining, the Springboks were 10-10 down.
Rugby World Cup fans from all over the world are called to book France Rugby World Cup tickets from our online platform WorldWideTicketsandHospitality.com Rugby fans can book South Africa Vs Tonga Tickets on our website at exclusively discounted prices.
But tries from Juan Smith, Bobby Skinstad, and Ruan Pienaar his second of the match pushed them ahead. Sukanaivalu Hufanga and Viliami Vaki scored late tries for the Tongans, who received ten points from fly-half Pierre Hola, but the South Africans barely managed to maintain their lead over the RWC group.
When they met in the sun of Lens, South Africa and Tonga were trying to keep their 100% records. Fresh off impressive victories over England and Samoa RWC, the Springboks were heavy favorites to win their third straight game. Jake White made 11 changes to the team that defeated the English 36-0 in Paris eight days ago because he was confident enough to rest most of his big names.
Danie Roussow, Bakkies Botha, JP Pietersen, and Wickus van Heerden were the only players who were kept, but Victor Matfield, John Smit, and star winger Bryan Habana were on the bench in case of an emergency. After victories over the United States and Samoa in the past two weeks, Tonga will compete with England for a place in the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup.
The team started the game strong. Coach Quddus Fielea kept faith with 11 of the players who started last Sunday’s 19-15 victory over the Samoans, who are also from the Pacific Islands. In the one previous meeting between the two nations, which took place in Cape Town in 1997, South Africa prevailed 74-10, the early stages of this match suggested that the outcome would be more even. Tonga kicked the RWC game off at a blistering pace, and their tackles were typically vicious.
Possibility to Restore Parity Thanks to the RWC Captain:
They also took the lead when Pierre Hola converted a penalty kick in the ninth minute to give his team a 3-0 lead. The Springboks had the opportunity to restore parity thanks to RWC captain Nili Latu’s hands in the ruck; however, fly-half Andre Pretorius failed to score from 30 yards out in front of the posts. When Tonga pulled down a maul in the 15th minute. For more about knowing South Africa Rugby World Cup Tickets
The Lions’ number 10 had a chance to make amends, but once more he was off target, his skew to the left from the diagonal drawing jeers from the crowd. Fullback Ruan Pienaar took a quick tap from a penalty and sprinted past a sleepy defense to score in the left corner, but the Springboks did score in Rugby World Cup shortly after. With a conversion, Pretorius made it 7-3.
The Tongans, who were putting in as much effort as they were getting up front, were denied a drop goal attempt by Hola in the 22nd minute in RWC. Soane Tonga’uiha received Hola’s floated mis pass and ghosted in on the left flank in the 24th minute, almost regaining the lead. The pass was unfortunately ruled forward by English referee Wayne Barnes, but it gave the Springboks a scare.
The 1995 Rugby World Cup champions were slowly beginning to take control of the game as they found spaces out wide, with JP Pietersen looking especially dangerous. Pretorius missed his third penalty in a row, this time from a central position. In addition, Wynand Olivier’s pass to Ashwin Willemse, who was in the clear eight yards out, went astray in the 32nd minute, preventing them from scoring their second try.
After Willemse missed a second chance in the 37th minute, Hola missed a long-range penalty shot in the right corner, but the Tongans were still in contention at halftime. At the start of the second half, Hola missed a drop goal in RWC, but his team quickly took the lead again. The opening was created by Epi Taione and Finau Maka’s excellent work, and Latu took the ball.
A Former Coventry Prop Barged Over After a Few more Phases in RWC:
Kisi Pulu, a former Coventry prop, barged over after a few more phases of rumbling and attacking thrusts, with Hola adding the extras. After 44 minutes, with the score 10-7, White reacted by activating the emergency cavalry, which included Smit, BJ Botha, Matfield, Habana, and Francois Steyn. Pretorius’ miserable day with the boot continued in the 48th minute in RWC. For more about knowing Tonga Rugby World Cup Tickets
When he missed his fourth penalty of the afternoon, a 25-meter three-pointer. The South African Rugby World Cup were dealt a blow when they ordered Rossouw to be carried off on a stretcher and Juan Smith took his place. Steyn kicked a 45-yard field goal, however, after taking over from Pretorius, bringing the score level to 10-10.
South Africa took the lead for the second time in the 58th minute of RWC, anticipating a serious upset. After Habana and Gurthro Steenkamp surged forward, Smith evaded a tackle and jumped over from five yards out, exploiting gaps in the defense. It was 17-10 after Percy Montgomery converted. The Springboks’ third try was scored by Bobby Skinstad in the right corner after a fantastic length-of-the-field move that included numerous offloads.
Both Steyn and Joseph Vaka were punished for a fight that occurred prior to the try. In the 65th minute, the South Africans exchanged passes freely in a move that began 20 meters from their own try line. Pienaar popped up on the right wing and dived over for his second try of the RWC game. Tonga was out of the game at 27-10, but Montgomery missed both conversion attempts.
Hola directed a cross-field punt for Sukanaivalu Hufanga to catch and ground in the left corner after Habana was sin-binned for cynically preventing the ball from being released in a ruck. Hola missed the conversion because the video referee had to approve the score. Tonga had a chance when the Springboks were down to 13 Rugby World Cup players.
They miraculously pulled within five points in the 72nd minute when Tevita Tu’ifua and Lilo combined before Viliami Vaki hacked on to dive over the posts. For 27-22, Hola converted. White’s RWC team was relieved by a penalty kick in the 76th minute from Montgomery, but Hola scored his own to make it 30-25. Tonga never appeared to be in trouble against Hong Kong, which struggled to contain the islanders in almost every aspect and was largely amateur.
While their backs were able to make easy ground whenever they moved the ball wide, the Tongan forward pack dominated throughout and won several penalties, particularly in the scrum. Hong King knew right from the start that the Rugby World Cup game was over, as Tonga scored two tries that were overturned in the first four minutes. In the first 20 minutes.
Hong Kong didn’t have a ball, but they desperately held on and only lost to a penalty kick by William Havili in the 11th minute. When Takulua, who plays RWC for Toulon in the French Top 14, crossed under the posts in the 15th minute following some huge carries by his tight forwards. It appeared to be a sign of trouble for them. After a successful attempt by Hong Kong to hook Alexander Post from the opening kickoff, Tonga took control.
After leading 20-8 going into the break, they scored four tries in the second half to take a 44-8 lead with 15 minutes left. Although impressive winger Matthew Worley scored two late tries for Hong Kong, the outcome was never in doubt. Nevertheless, Rugby World Cup captain Josh Hrstich of Hong Kong stated, I am extremely pleased with our effort. We are offering France Rugby World Cup Tickets Rugby admirers can get RWC World Cup Tickets through our trusted online ticketing marketplace. Worldwide tickets and hospitality are the most reliable source to book France Rugby World Cup tickets. Sign up for the latest Ticket alert.
0