Tonga too good for willing Namibians

The Pacific Islanders outscored their opponents from the south-western tip of African by five tries to three.

The Namibian defence and their scrums were shocking in the first half – with the porous defence in particular brilliantly exploited by the hard-running Tongans.

With the willingness to speed up the game and look out wide for gaps – where they often found mismatches – the Pacific Islanders raced into a 22-7 half-time lead.

The Namibian defence was slightly less porous after the break, but the Pacific islanders added two more tries.

The boot of Theuns Kotze – through his out of hand and superb goal-kicking kicking – kept giving Namibia opportunities and hope. However, with their set pieces still malfunctioning they were always on the back foot.

Stand-out flank Jack Ram bagged two tries to help Tonga put a disappointing their opening match loss to Georgia behind them.

After going down 10-17 to the Georgians, Tonga showed their true colours against an outpowered Namibia, who are now winless in 17 World Cup matches.

Led by a barnstorming display by Australian-born specialist Sevens player Ram, the South Sea islanders bagged a bonus point that could be vital in their battle with Georgia for third place in Pool C and automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup.

While Tonga mathematically remain in the hunt for second place, they have still to play, in quick succession, heavyweights New Zealand and Argentina, who finish up their pool campaign against Namibia.

Tonga wing Telusa Veainu also bagged a brace of tries, while Latiume Fosita crossed for another. Vunga Lilo hit two conversions and a penalty, and Kurt Morath a late penalty.

Namibia hit back with a first-half try from Johan Tromp and two Jacques Burger pushovers in the second. Theuns Kotze converted all three.

An energetic opening saw wasted chances by both sides in front of a raucous 10,000-plus crowd at Exeter's Sandy Park.

But after five minutes, a deft inside ball in midfield saw Veainu power in from halfway despite a desperate Chrysander Botha tackle on the tryline.

Worryingly for Namibia, Tonga were dominant in the set piece from early on, Ram riding Renaldo Bothma's tackle for the South Sea islanders' second try, bolting down the blind from a solid line-out.

Lilo missed the conversion but produced a fantastic try-saving tackle on Russell van Wyk as the Africans capitalised on a charged-down clearance kick.

When prop Sila Puafisi was stripped of the ball in contact with Tonga opting to run from deep in their own half, Namibia lock Tjuee Uanivi played provider, offloading to Tromp for an unhindered run-in for a try against the run of play.

Danie Van Wyk put his body on the line to take down lock Joe Tuineau with the line beckoning, the latter's loose pass from the resulting line-out supremely picked up by Fosita to dot down.

Lilo converted and bagged a first penalty with Tonga threatening to pull away.

Ram was on hand for his second try – and Tonga's fourth for the bonus point – after Veainu, a late replacement for Fetu'u Vainikolo, split the defence and found the flank out wide.

Namibia, however, were not done. A well-drilled attacking line-out saw Burger driven over in the corner, Kotze nailing the tricky extras.

But in broken play, there was only one team in it and when the ball was shipped left with the Namibian defence in disarray, Veainu bagged his second.

Saracens flank Burger then sent the crowd into raptures when he scored a second try identical to his first, driven over from a line-out in a move that would have pleased coach Phil Davies, the former Llanelli and Wales forward.

Namibia, made up largely of amateurs, remained dangerous on the break, often showing pace that would have had the onlooking, flag-waving Frankie Fredericks, winner of four Olympic sprint silver medals for the south-western African nation, purring with satisfaction.

But Tonga's superior tactics and hard-hitting defence led by Leicester-bound flank Opeti Fonua meant there was only one winner. Replacement Kurt Morath kicked a late penalty to steady nerves in the late-afternoon sun.

Man of the match: Theuns Kotze had his moments at flyhalf, with some sublime kicking out of hand and at goal, while loose forwards Renaldo Bothma, Jacques Burger and Rohan Kitshoff were by some distance Namibia's best players. Telusa Veainu was a late replacement and grabbed his opportunity with both hands, while Viliame Ma'afu led the forwards with his energetic performance. However, the undoubted man of the match was Tongan flank Jack Ram – who not just scored two tries, but carried the ball strongly and made some monster hits on defence.

Moment of the match: There were some great tries, by both teams, but Kurt Morath's penalty in the 73rd minute ended the game as a contest.

Villain of the match: Let's get one thing straight, Tonga thoroughly deserved their victory – on merit. New Zealand referee Glen Jackson's behaviour may not have influenced the outcome of the game, but his leniency towards the Tongans were so shocking it warrants scrutiny. On at least two occasions he failed to award yellow cards – one a deliberate cynical offence that would have had any other team down to 14 men and the second a neck grapple, clean-out that has seen several players already getting their marching orders. The latter could have been a red card.

The scorers:

For Tonga:

Tries: Veainu 2, Ram 2, Fosita

Cons: Lilo 2

Pens: Lilo, Morath

For Namibia:

Tries: Tromp, Burger 2

Cons: Kotze 3

Teams:

Tonga: 15 Vungakoto Lilo, 14 Telusa Veainu, 13 Siale Piutau (co-captain), 12 Sione Piukala, 11 David Halaifonua, 10 Latiume Fosita, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 8 Viliami Ma'afu (co-captain), 7 Jack Ram, 6 Sione Kalamafoni, 5 Joseph Tuineau, 4 Hale T Pole, 3 Sila Puafisi, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Soane Tonga'uiha.           

Replacements: 16 Paula Ngauamo, 17 Tevita Mailau, 18 Halani 'Aulika, 19 Tukulua Lokotui, 20 Opeti Fonua, 21 Samisoni Fisilau, 22 Kurt Morath, 23 William Helu.

Namibia: 15 Chrysander Botha, 14 Johan Tromp, 13 Danie Van Wyk, 12 Johan Deysel, 11 Russel Van Wyk, 10 Theuns Kotze, 9 Eneill Buitendag, 8 Renaldo Bothma, 7 Rohan Kitshoff, 6 Jacques Burger (captain), 5 Tjiuee Uanivi, 4 Janco Venter, 3 Johannes Coetzee, 2 Torsten Van Jaarsveld, 1 Casper Viviers.

Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Johnny Redelinghuys, 18 AJ De Klerk, 19 Tinus Du Plessis, 20 Pieter-Jan van Lill, 21 Damian Stevens, 22 Darryl De La Harpe, 23 David Philander.

Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)    

Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)   

TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Agence France-Presse & @rugby365com