Rugby League World Cup continues with Pool D action featuring Tonga v PNG which sees the Pacific nation heavyweights in the best game of all the group stages in Group D.
With the first two to qualify to play either Samoa or England in the knockouts, this game could be crucial depending on which team you’d rather play.
Our Group D Tonga v PNG Match Centre has a preview, stats, team lists before the game and a summary of the match afterwards. More than you could ever need or want. If you want more information on all the squads – follow this link here.
Tonga 24 Papua New Guinea 18 Match Summary
The match of the first week of the Rugby League World Cup was finally here, and after a stirring pre-game challenge from the Tongans, we were ready to see whether the dark horse to win the competition could overcome their biggest group stage test. PNG, always ready for the challenge, had to do it without Xavier Coates who was a late withdrawal.
Despite being big underdogs for the game the Kumuls started the brighter of the two sides with several attacks on the Tonga line in the first five minutes, and the PNG side did indeed open the scoring through captain Rhyse Martin who crashed through the Tonga defense close to the line after sharp work from Edwin Ipape and Kyle Laybutt in the lead up. Martin converted his own try for a surprise 6-0 lead.
PNG continued to remain on top after that first try, giving the star studded Tongan side absolutely nothing in attack, and showing some fresh attack and none of the one out play of the past.
The Kumuls went close twice around the ten minute mark. A potential try in the corner was stopped by Tonga batting down the final pass, and Edwin Ipape went very close to sneaking a try from dummy half but dropped it inches away from scoring.
Tonga were next to score and it was set up by a flying Tolutau Koula who made broke through the PNG defense on the kick return, then fired a somewhat forward-looking pass to Will Penisini in support. The conversion tied it up at 6-6 after 15 minutes. Hopefully PNG hadn’t run out of gas already.
Tonga looked certain to score from a scrum close to the PNG line not long after, but Tolutau Koula ran at Justin Olam instead of passing and the wall-like Olam sorted him out. But Tonga were now well on top, making twice the ground of PNG in each attacking set, but the Kumuls were hanging on with desperate defense and the occasional Tongan error.
PNG almost scored twice on the left wing around the 25th minute mark. The first was when a final pass was almost intercepted but knocked on. The second Dan Russell had actually crossed the line and scored, but video replays showed stand-in winger Dan Russell had put his foot on the touch line before scoring. You get the feeling that PNG will regret not taking advantage when they had the chance.
Sure enough, Tonga were next to score, through Moeaki Fotuaika who charged over close to the line with the final pass coming from Keaon Koloamatangi. The attacking set was set up by Tuimoala Lolohea who darted his way around the PNG defense in the lead up. The try under the posts was converted and Tonga led 12-6 with five minutes to go in the second half.
Tonga then doubled down with the very next set, Haumole Olakau’atu making the break through the Kumuls line and Isaiya Katoa in support to score under the posts. Katoa converted his own try and all of a sudden Tonga were out to a 18-6 lead, which on the whole of the first half performance, was a bit unfair to the Kumuls who had given Tonga plenty of competition in the first half, and possibly could have been on 18 points themselves with a little more luck, and thinner sideline paint.
HALF TIME – TONGA 18 PNG 6
PNG needed to strike early against Tonga and they certainly did that. With just their first attacking set. After a strong attacking set Edwin Ipape ran down the blind side from the halfway line and broke through at least four Tongan defenders dragging them along as he fired the ball inside for a supporting Lachlan Lam who went on to score under the posts. The score was back to 18-12 and PNG had started the second half on a high.
PNG almost scored again in the 54th minute through Roderick Tai, and would have deserved it on the balance of play, but after a detailed and lengthy review the try was disallowed. The Kumuls have been millimetres away from leading 24-18 as both of those tries probably should have been scored. Although it must be said the the Tongan defender used the shoulder in stopping try which was not looked at.
Unlike the first half the Kumuls hung on desperately in defense straight after a No Try disappointment, as Tonga attacked their line and were resisted of multiple occasions. David Fifita coming the closest. PNG also were growing in confidence in attack. At 18-12 in the 62nd minutes, this game was anyone’s, but sadly for PNG the errors were creeping into their game.
Things were starting to look up for PNG, a successful referee challenge, followed by Tonga dropping the ball one metre from their own line, and they took full advantage with 12 minutes to go. From the scrum the Kumuls went left and a floating Alex Johnston drew defenders and threw the perfect final pass to Dan Russell who made no mistake to score in the corner. Rhyse Martin, who had kicked 40 in-a-row before the conversion, duly nailed it to even up the score to 18-18, and game on.
Tonga were presented with a great chance to take the lead in the 73rd minute with a penalty goal, 40 metres out in front but Isaiya Katoa’s kick was unsuccessful. It remained 18-18, and tense in the game of the round for Week 1.
But Tonga made amends in a mad scramble with two minutes to go to score the match winner through Keaon Koloamatangi. After missing the chance to take a field goal, the Tongans kept the ball alive through a few wild offloads, a grubber, but they kept the ball moving and retained possession and eventually Koloamatangi found his way to the line. Isaiya Katoa converted the try to make the score 24-18.
The game was a fantastic contest and while Tonga did enough to win, the result was almost unfair to PNG, who were an inch or two from scoring two more tries and causing a real boilover in the first game of Group D. A draw would have been a fair result.
There was a lot of pre-tournament talk of the NRL heavy squads of Tonga and Samoa leading into this tournament, but this World Cup appears not to be concerned with that after England’s thrashing of Samoa and PNG pushing the much more experienced Tongan side all the way.
PNG fans should be exceptionally proud of their team, with just handful of NRL Stars, but a willing squad from mostly second tier team, they gave it everything, and if it weren’t for the tiny margins of those disallowed tries could have beaten one of the tournament favourites. As it stands, they will trouble every team they play from here on in this tournament, and have a base to take it to the next level in the future. They have beaten Fiji, Great Britain in recent years, and now given an NRL heavy Tonga side plenty. All credit to coach Stanley Tepend and his team including Shane Flanagan.
Tonga v Papua New Guinea Player of the Match
3 Pts Edwin Ipape
2 Pts Tolutau Koula
1 Pts Every other Kumul
Tonga v Papua New Guinea Final Score
Tonga 24
Tries: Will Penisini (13) Moeaki Fotuaika (34) Isaiya Katoa (35) Keaon Koloamatangi (77) Goals: Isaiya Katoa 4 (15, 35, 38, 79)
PNG 18
Tries: Rhyse Martin (5) Lachlan Lam (41) Dan Russell (68)
Goals: Rhyse Martin 3 (6, 42, 69)
Tonga v Papua New Guinea Points of Interest
- Keaon Koloamatangi was starting hooker for Tonga, which was quite the surprise at first, but the big man has plenty of skills and didn’t do a bad job. But they ceetainly looked better with him wider out when Soni Luke came on, and coincided with Tonga’s two quick tries.
- There appeared to be a little more flair in attack for PNG which is a good thing. Sometimes the Kumuls have been too one-out in attack, but there was a distinct daring edge to their play against Tonga. And didn’t result in many more errors than comes with a more conventional play.
- Alex Johnston a man heading for the all-time leading try scoring record in the NRL is someone you assoiciate wit hattack, but his move to fullback shows just how important he is. He gets fewer chances at fullback for PNG than on the wing for South Sydney, but Johnston is a picture of calm at the back, and brings that NRL experience to defuse many a Tonga attack or pressing kick.
- How good is Edwin Ipape. He is a star with every PNG International game and was the UK Championship player of the season. He should be on NRL club’s radars soon.
- Why wasn’t the should charge checked for the Kumuls second disallowed try?
Tonga v PNG Match Stats
Tonga v Papua New Guinea Teams
TONGA 20 Tolutau Koula 2 Daniel Tupou 4 Will Penisini 19 Mosese Suli 5 Sione Katoa 24 Isaiya Katoa 7 Tuimoala Lolohea 8 Addin Fonua-Blake 12 Keaon Koloamatangi 16 Tevita Tatola 11 Felise Kaufusi 15 Haumole Olakau’atu 10 Siosiua Taukeiaho 3 Siosifa Talakai 9 Soni Luke 17 Moeaki Fotuaika 16 David Fifita
PNG KUMULS 1 Alex JOHNSTON 15 Dan RUSSELL 3 Nene MACDONALD 4 Justin OLAM 20 Rodrick TAI 6 Kyle LAYBUTT 7 Lachlan LAM 8 Wellington ALBERT 9 Edwin IPAPE 10 Sylvester NAMO 11 Nixon PUTT 12 Rhyse MARTIN 13 Jacob ALICK 16 MacKenzie Yei 17 Emmanuel WAINE 18 Keven APPO 23 Watson BOAS
Tonga v PNG Pre Match Stats
Tonga v PNG Preview
The biggest game of Group D kicks off the tournament for Group D, and what a clash it should be. Tonga have developed into a strong international rugby league side, helped by some big name defectors from the tier One nations, and it’s a good thing. It means that we are going into a Rugby League World Cup with five genuine chances to win the title, and Tonga has some strong claims. Unlike the increasing NRL player boosted Samoa squad, Tonga’s squad has been evolving over a number of years, and they came close to making a World Cup final in 2017, and if we recall correctly a referee was involved.
Tonga can make amends in this World Cup if they top this group (which looks likely) and England finish second in theirs. PNG have a great H2H record over Tonga, but that was a different era, and Tonga have beaten no less than Great Britain and Australia in recent years. Although, they were outplayed by New Zealand earlier this season, or more so, Joey Manu. Talking of Great Britain, PNG also beat the touring side in an impressive win, possibly more impressive than their win over Fiji this year. In both wins, the Kumuls have done it with very little NRL talent, they have relied an a bunch of underrated second tier players like Kyle Laybutt, Nixon Putt, and McKenzie Yei was awesome against Fiji. PNG aren’t too NRL-poor, with the competition’s leading try scorer for the past two seasons in Alex Johnston, and possibly the NRL’s hardest man in Justin Olam.
But Tonga have a lot, not just a few, NRL players and have big game breakers like Jason Taumalolo, Siosifa Talakai and David Fifita is due to play at least one good game of rugby league this season. Tonga’s forward pack is immense compared to the Kumuls, but it has to be said that the Kumuls were OK in the middle when the Prime Minister’s XIII thrashed them a few weeks ago. It was more on the flanks were the Kumuls got torn apart, so look to Talakai and Fifta to cause maximum trouble. Although the edge defense is bolstered by the presence alone of Justin Olam.
As some of the games of the World Cup have proven thus far, an NRL heavy squad doesn’t guarantee you success like in Samoa’s case. And like Lebanon, having just a few NRL stars in among a quality group of hard triers doesn’t mean you can’t compete with the best. PNG are right in this game, may not win, but won’t disappoint.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Loads of obvious players to watch for Tonga, but we’re going for Keaon Koloamatangi as the Tonga player to watch. He has been one of the second rowers of the NRL season and will be a handful for the smaller built Kumuls.
As for the Kumuls, a left field selection if we can – Edwin Ipape. He should be playing hooker for the Kumuls, and was no less than the second tier player of the season for Leigh as they stormed to the Super League. He’ll be used to the English conditions and will be a livewire nuisance in the middle for the big Tongan forwards. Just look at his try v Great Britain a few years ago.
PREDICTION Tonga 30 PNG 18
