The Silver Fern

@W32 said in RWC Week 4: Springboks v Tonga:

This reminds me of my first meeting with an Australian. I was in Israel and met a young Australian about my age. This was 30 years ago. When he heard that I was from South Africa, he said “ you’re a racist”
I was shocked and affronted. I guess he didn’t know about what happened to the aborigines in his own country.

Better than being called a sheep fůcker during all of high school. And a Nazi because I'm half German. You got off easy!

I do wonder if there has ever been a case with Ben T in the front row where teammates had trouble getting their arm round him 🙂

Their cynicism is battle-earned. I admire it. Even, maybe especially, at scrums.

I just want other teams to get a fair chance to fuck their scrum up.

[edit especially the boks next week but also France in the QFs.]

FT: Tonga 36 - 12 Canada

Tonga's second half points scorers:

Kyren Taumoefolau, Sam Moli tries.

Tonga imploded in the last 15 minutes or so, with all their local rookies on the field. Canada's left winger Isaac Olson scored Canada's only tries of their tour in the 65th and 78th minute.

Full match video

Must’ve been the heat but that was a scrappy game with plenty of basic errors etc. Great to see so many former Super/AB’s in action.

Tongan backline was very disjointed

@Dan54 said in Fiji v Tonga:

Good game I thought, well worth the watching. Both looked like they could cause some teams a problem at times in WC!!

If you let either team play, yes

If you tire their forwards it will be a hard match but a comfortable victory

@KiwiMurph said in Tonga v Australia 'A':

Tonga will get 3 cracks in pool play at an upset with Ireland, Boks and Scotland. Could really throw a spanner in the works of a tough pool.

They could give Scotland real problems due to squad rotation

@Stargazer said in Tonga v Uruguay:

What this shows is that Tonga is stronger than most other tier 3 countries.

Tonga is tier 3? Clearly I don't know WTF the tiers are now.

@Nepia It was free for all on YouTube. Link posted earlier in thread.

@Higgins Yeah, I watched the game live. Quality of the stream was HD and really good, but not many camera angles and no TMO. Good game to watch.

Watched bits of it. Tonga too big, too strong. HK were plucky but never really in it after the first 20.

Their winger has gas tho

Fine's tour over following three match ban

Winger Viliami Fine will miss Tonga's remaining tour matches against the French Barbarians and Romania after he was suspended for three weeks following his sending off against England.

The 23-year-old appeared before an independent judicial committee via video link, having received a red card for striking the head of England's replacement flyhalf Marcus Smith.

Fine was dismissed 13 minutes after coming onto the field as a replacement for Walter Fifita and admitted the incident was worthy of a red card.

The Disciplinary Committee ruled the Otago winger struck his opponent with the upper part of his arm, that the strike was not powerful and there was no injury to the player.

The suspension was halved from six weeks to three, after the committee accounted for Fine's clean record, early guilty plea, apology to Smith and the way in which he approached the disciplinary process.

Viliame Fine will also be banned for a third match which is still to be determined. He has the right to appeal the suspension within 48 hours.

Nov 11, 2021  /  Pacific Tonga make five changes for French Baabaas clash Tonga make five changes for French Baabaas clash

Tonga have made five personnel changes to their starting fifteen to take on the French Barbarians in their latest Northern rugby tour match in Lyon.

@stargazer said in Scotland v Tonga:

I haven't watched this game yet. Is it worth watching, or should I just go straight to the highlights clip?

Just watch the highlights

Lost of stoppages in the second half. Tonga didn't offer much resistance.. so you'll see the shitty tackling in the tries