New look Tonga see off Canada

Tonga 28-3 Canada

Tonga ran in 4 tries and survived a sending off early within the second half en path to a dominant win over Canada on Thursday.

World no.23 Canada, which didn’t qualify for the World Cup for the primary time ever, was seeing its first motion since a 43-37 loss to Namibia in November.

Tonga has benefited from a latest World Rugby rule change permitting gamers who haven’t represented their nation in three years to modify to the nation of their beginning, or of their mother and father’ or grandparents’ beginning.

Former All Blacks Malakai Fekitoa and George Moala began at centre with Vaea Fifita, one other New Zealand veteran on the Tongan bench.

The Tongans didn’t look particularly sharp however had sufficient energy and tempo to dispatch Canada.

Tonga had house help of their first take a look at match on house soil since 2017 and went forward within the fourth minute, profiting from a scrum penalty to kick deep into Canadian territory. 

Sam Moli went over behind a driving maul from the guaranteeing lineout with the conversion giving the house facet a 7-0 lead.

Peter Nelson minimize the result in 7-3 with a penalty from shut vary. 

Tonga added to the lead after a line break by wing Superb Inisi, who sliced by the Canadian defence earlier than taking a sort out and passing to an open Sonatane Takulua for a 14-3 lead with the conversion. 

After a penalty towards Canada, Tonga kicked for distance and Vailanu, a beefy 20 stone again row, bulled his means over from the following lineout, dragging defenders with him simply earlier than the primary half ended.

Tonga was lowered to 14 males 5 minutes into the second half after Moala was despatched off for a harmful sort out that left Canadian centre Ben LeSage dazed.

Nonetheless, Vailanu’s energy at shut vary produced one other Tongan attempt to spherical off the scoring. 

Written by Ben Jaycock