All Blacks outstretch combative Tonga

New Zealand claimed a decisive victory over Tonga in Newcastle on Friday, but not without difficulties. The Tongan forwards gave their counterparts all they could handle for large stretches, and had the All Black scrum on skates towards the end of the second half. While Tonga may not have come out on top on the scoreboard, their relative success in some areas will give future opposition much to think about heading into the knock-out stages.

Ben Smith was the first to break through in the 13th minute after he followed up some lovely handling from four teammates down the short side. Dan Carter added the extras but it was another 13 minutes until the next score, this one a penalty reply from Kurt Morath.

A beautiful inside ball to Waisake Naholo put the All Blacks in striking position just a few minutes later, and wily prop Tony Woodcock popped up to take a short pass from Aaron Smith and barrel over for his 10th test try. That looked to have cracked open the Tongans, but they must have missed the script as they piled into the New Zealand defense in the final minutes of the half.

Kieran Read was dispatched to the bin for killing the ball and Tonga opted for the scrum. It looked a good decision, with New Zealand wilting under pressure but referee John Lacey would not concede a penalty try. Woodcock collapsed a third time yet no call came, but Tonga were forced to use the ball and another bizarre call came when they were halted just inches short of the line. Instead of playing on, Lacey referred the play to the TMO, who correctly decided that the try had not been scored, but the stoppage brought and end to the half and Tonga were cruelly denied a certain score.

The second half started in a similar vein, with Read still off and Tonga throwing all their might against the black wall. Had Siale Piutau caught a quick ball he might have been in, but they were still on advantage, and this time skipper Nili Latu pointed to the sticks, his kicker Morath doing the formalities.

New Zealand pulled up their socks when Read returned, and launched their own assault ending in a try to slippery winger Nehe Milner-Skudder. Morath squeezed in one last penalty, but from then on it was all New Zealand as the Ikale Tahi ran out of steam. Milner-Skudder bagged a second before Sonny Bill Williams, Sam Cane, and newly-minted test centurion Ma’a Nonu finished things off.

The tournament comes to a close for Tonga, who finish with one win from four, but for New Zealand the hard work now begins. They face the loser of Sunday’s France v Ireland match in Cardiff next weekend.

NEW ZEALAND 47
Tries – B. Smith (13), T. Woodcock (31), N. Milner-Skudder 2 (52, 58), S. Williams (66), S. Cane (70), M. Nonu (76)
Cons – D. Carter 6 (14, 32, 54, 59, 68, 72)
Yellow cards – K. Read (38)

TONGA 9
Pens – K. Morath 3 (26, 49, 57)

NEW ZEALAND
1 T. Woodcock (W. Crockett 42) 2 D. Coles (K. Mealamu 66) 3 O. Franks (B. Franks 62) 4 L. Romano (B. Retallick 49) 5 S. Whitelock (L. Messam 66) 6 J. Kaino 7 S. Cane 8 K. Read (capt.) 9 A. Smith (T. Kerr-Barlow 72) 10 D. Carter 11 W. Naholo (B. Barrett 57) 12 M. Nonu 13 C. Smith (S. Williams 62) 14 N. Milner-Skudder 15 B. Smith

TONGA
1 S. Tonga’uiha (S. Taumalolo 55) 2 E. Taione (P. Ngauamo 49) 3 H. Aulika (S. Puafisi 69) 4 L. Lokotui 5 J. Tu’ineau (S. Mafi 54) 6 S. Kalamafoni 7 N. Latu (capt.) 8 V. Ma’afu (J. Ram 66) 9 T. Takulua (S. Fisilau 69) 10 K. Morath (V. Tahitu’a 62) 11 F. Vainikolo 12 L. Fosita 13 S. Piutau 14 T. Veainu (W. Helu 66) 15 V. Lilo