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South Africa 30 - Tonga 25

South Africa

Tonga

  1. Boks pushed all the way by Tonga

    Boks pushed all the way by Tonga

    Fullback Ruan Pienaar scored two tries as South Africa needed their heavy brigade to overcome an exciting Tonga 30-25 and secure a place in the World Cup quarter-finals as pool winners on Saturday. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:80'
    • South Africa
    • Tonga
    • 79' And Tonga break from the restart and move into Boks half. Boks defence holds firm but Tonga move the ball down the blindside before Tupu goes through the middle. Hola puts over bannana kick but it roles into touch just inches from the reach of his winger. Ref blows for time! What a game! Amazing stuff from the Tongans and the Boks will be mighty relieved to have come away with a win! 30-25.
    • 77' Tonga win penalty and sensibly go for goal. Touch then points out that Van der Linde infringed further up the field so ref moves penalty closer and Hola makes no mistakes! 30-25. Tonga have two minutes to cause greatest upset in history of the World Cup!!!
    • 76' Taione off and Tupou on.
    • 75' Boks sensibly keep it tight and Tonga concede penalty for pulling down the driving maul. Chance here for Montgomery to put the Boks two scores ahead and the full-back makes no mistakes! 30-22.
    • 74' Hola adds the two points!
    • 72' They've done it again! Tonga have scored from the restart! 27-20. Extraordinary stuff. Hola kiks across field, Montgomery misses it and Tonga break from deep, Afeaki kicks ahead and win the chase to touch down! Amazing stuff from the Islanders!
    • 69' Tonga have scrum 10m from Boks line. Tonga drive from base and feed Hola, who puts over a inch perfect cross kick for Hufanga in the corner. The Tongan centre takes it superbly and goes over but it looks like he's in touch first from the tackle of Percy Montgomery. Ref again goes to the video official - it's very tight but he's given it!! 27-15.
    • 69' But Tonga refuse to lie down and Taione leads a charge. Habana kills the ball and is sin binned for a cynical offense.
    • 68' Tonga starting to look tired now and a little ragged. How will they cope without their outstanding skipper Latu?
    • 66' Filipine on for his skipper Latu, who has taken a knock on the head.
    • 65' Another great try for the Boks. Pietersen again weaves his way past a number of Tongan tacklers, he finds Smit in support and the ball is moved to Pienaar, who started the movement, to go over for his second try and a bonus point for the Boks. 27-10.
    • 63' Vaka and Steyn both sin binned for the earlier fight.
    • 62' But Boks pinch the ball and launch a counter from deep in their own half. Superb handling from the Boks as the ball is moved first down the left with Pietersen and then to the right, Matfield making good yards before Skinstad breaks a Lilo tackle and goes over in the corner. Ref goes up stairs as a fight breaks out on the halfway line! Video official awards the try 22-10.
    • 62' Great burst from Vaka and his hand off leaves Pienaar on his backside.
    • 61' Montgomery on for Pretorius and Pienaar moved to standoff.
    • 60' Replacement full-back Montgomery makes it 17-10 as his record 90th appearance for the Boks.
    • 57' Penalty to Tonga and they kick into Boks half. But Boks nick the lineout and clear to touch just outside their 22m line. Boks still under pressure and struggling to get any shape on this game! Again Boks nick the lineout and Steyn breaks from deep. Pienaar chips ahead and Habana gathers, Boks recycle the ball and van der Linde makes yards down the right before flanker Smith crashes over. Classy try! 15-10.
    • 54' Boks have lost their shape and need to return to doing the basic well. Tonga love a broken game as it allows them to bring in their powerful runners. Scrum back on halfway for the Boks after Tonga kick goes dead long. But Boks knock on from the scrum after huge hit from Maka on Januarie. Ouch!!
    • 53' Good tackle Latu on van der Linde but Tonga offside and Steyn has chance from 40m in front of the posts to draw them level. Steyn on target and it's 10-10.
    • 51' The experienced Afeaki on for Kauhenga.
    • 50' Hola kicks Tonga down to Boks 22m line from penalty. Tonga win their throw but knock on and Boks clear the danger through Pretorius. Boks have half an hour left to turn this game around.
    • 50' Rossouw is down again and medical team quickly on with the stretcher.
    • 48' Penalty to Boks for Tonga entering a maul from an offside position. Vaki earlier had put in a big hit on Rossouw, who certainly felt it. Pretorius misses again - his fifth of the afternoon!
    • 47' Time for Boks coach Jake White to ring the changes. Steyn on for Julies, Smit for Gary Botha, Habana for Willemse and Matfield for van den Berg.
    • 45' Hola adds another two points to make it 10-7.
    • 43' Taione makes some yards and is well supported by Latu, as ever, as Tonga batter the Boks line and prop Pulu is finally driven over. Unbelievable stuff from the Islanders who now lead 8-7. Great start by Tonga and only the second try Boks have conceded so far in the World Cup.
    • 42' Tonga recycle the ball and Hola goes for a drop goal but its wide. Boks then kick ball out on the full from 22m drop out and Tonga win scrum back on their 22m line.
    • 41' Tonga get the game underway again and do well to force a scrum down on Boks 22m. Tonga win their put in and Vaka goes on another charge off his wing. Good start by Tonga.
    • 40' Boks' turn to attack now and they batter the Tonga line with prop van der Linde making a huge charge. But great defence from Tonga keeps them out and wins a turnover. Hola kicks for touch to bring half to an end. Excellent 40 minutes for the Tongans who trail just 7-3. Expect some replacements from the Boks in the second half.
    • 39' Tonga finishing the half strongly and Vaka find space down the right but fails to find Tui'fua. Poor option there from Vaka as Tui'fua was unmarked!
    • 38' Penalty to Tonga but this time it's Hola's turn to miss his kick as he pulls it just to the right from 40m.
    • 33' Januarie makes a sniping break down the blindside and finds Willemse but a thumping tackle from Maka knocks the ball free when the wing was practically over! Tonga under huge pressure but somehow holding on!
    • 31' Boks nick ball at the scrum and it is moved wide to the right but poor pass from Olivier misses Willemse with the try line begging!
    • 30' Good handling from Boks puts Pietersen in some space down the left touch line and Tonga defence is stretched, but Hufanga wins the ball in the tackle and Tonga get a scrum down in their 22m area.
    • 27' Another penalty for the Boks just inside the Tonga half but Pretoria misses - his third miss of the day! Poor kicking from the Boks fly-half is failing to punish Tonga infringements!
    • 26' Vaka bursts clear down the right touch after superb miss pass from Hola. Latu again in support but ball is spilled and Boks awarded scrum on halfway line.
    • 25' Willemse makes break from deep down the right touch but Tonga defence covers well and Boks awarded line-out on Tonga 22m line.
    • 24' Good drive from number eight Maka, the ball is retained, Latu continues the move with a superb burst and Hola puts Tonga'uiha over in the corner. But it's forward!!! Unlucky Tonga!
    • 23' Taione makes good powerful charge down the middlf, Hola chips ahead and good follow up by Tonga wins them a scrum down just outside Boks 22m line. Well played.
    • 22' Hola snatches at a drop goal effort and Boks win a 22m drop out.
    • 19' Pretorius finally on target. Nice kick from near the left touch adds two points. 7-3.
    • 18' Boks retaining possession well and testing the Tonga defence. Pietersen makes some ground down thwe left side but it's still a little untidy from the Boks. Tonga concede penalty, Pienaar takes a quick tap with Tongans napping and shows good pace to go over in the left corner. Smart thinking by Pienaar. 5-3.
    • 14' Boks win another penalty for Tonga'uiha pulling down a drive, but again Pretorius snatches at the kick. Tonga again let off!
    • 14' Lilo misjudges Piernaar kick and Boks gain lineout on Tonga's 22m line.
    • 10' Hooker Botha makes good yards for the Boks down the left, the ball is recycled and Tonga's skipper Latu penalised for use of his feet while being on the ground. This came after a thumping tackle by Taione on his opposite number! Pretorius somehow pulls his kick from right in front of the posts - shocking miss from the South African, who has not had a good start!
    • 9' Pietersen caught in possession after lovely grubber from Hola. Pietersen spills ball forward and Boks concede penalty when Skinstad gathers the ball in front of his team-mate. Hola chips Tonga into a 3-0 lead. Well played the Islanders!
    • 6' Lilo counters from deep and Tonga try to drive through the midfield. Hola puts up a high kick, which Pienaar gathers well before Tonga concede penalty, but Pretorius misses touch and Tonga run it back again.
    • 5' Lilo finds a good touch near the Boks 22m line. Good kick from the stand off.
    • 3' Passage of aerial chess ends with Tonga's Tu'ifu taking a mark and finding touch on his 10m line.
    • 1' Boks kick off and Tonga win an early penalty from the start and kick for touch in the Boks' half.
    • - Tonga have only once before played South Africa and went down 70-10 in Cape Town in 1997. But this is a better Tongan side and their coach Quddus Fielea has resisted making wholesale changes to the side that beat Samoa last week and save his best players for their final groupd game with England. Fielea has made just four changes and the side is again skippered by the outstanding Nili Latu on the flank.
    • - Both sides are unbeaten with South Africa topping the group by one point. Springboks coach jake White has rested a number of senior players following their comprehensive victory over England last week. Bob Skinstad leads the side from number eight. South Africa will be too powerful and organised for their Pacific Island opponents but they will want to continue their momentum with another decent performance and importantly avoid any injuries!
    • - Good afternoon and welcome to Eurosport's live online coverage of the World Cup clash between Pool A favourites South Africa and the hard-hitting Tongans from the Stade Felix Bollaert in Lens.

  • Summary

    South Africa versus Tonga
    Pienaar 18’, 65’, Smith 59’, Skinstad 62’ Tries Pulu 44’, Hufanga 70’, Vaki 73’
    Pretorius 19’, Montgomery 59’ Conversions Hola 45’, 74’
    Steyn 53’, Montgomery 76’ Penalties Hola 9’, 78’
      Drops  

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Wayne Barnes

  • South Africa

    Manager: Jack White

    On the Field

    • Steenkamp Substitution Out (47′)
    • Botha Substitution Out (47′)
    • van der Linde
    • Botha
    • van den Berg Substitution Out (47′)
    • van Heerden
    • Rossouw Substitution Out (50′)
    • Skinstad Try
    • Januarie
    • Pretorius Substitution Out (60′)
    • Pietersen
    • Julies Substitution Out (47′)
    • Olivier Substitution Out (55′)
    • Willemse Substitution Out (47′)
    • Pienaar Tries×2

    Subs

    • Montgomery Substitution In (60′)
    • Smit Substitution In (47′)
    • Matfield Substitution In (47′)
    • Smith Substitution In (50′) Try
    • Habana Substitution In (47′) Yellow Card
    • Steyn Substitution In (47′) Yellow Card
    • Botha Substitution In (47′)

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Tonga

    Manager: Quddus Fielea

    On the Field

    • Tongau'uhia
    • Lutui Substitution Out (67′)
    • Pulu Try
    • Hehea
    • Kauhenga Substitution Out (51′)
    • Vaki Try
    • Latu Substitution Out (67′)
    • Maka
    • Tuipulotu Substitution Out (67′)
    • Hola
    • Vaka Yellow Card Substitution Out (73′)
    • Taione Substitution Out (77′)
    • Hufanga Try
    • Tu'ifua
    • Lilo

    Subs

    • Afeaki Substitution In (51′)
    • Taukafa Substitution In (67′)
    • Havea Substitution In (67′)
    • Havili Substitution In (73′)
    • Toke
    • Tupou Substitution In (77′)
    • Filipine Substitution In (67′)

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None