Manu Samoa got their Pacific Nations Cup campaign back on track in Apia this evening as they defeated Tonga 43-17.
The win shot the Samoans back into contention for a top two finish from the Pacific pool.
Samoa extended their 44-year unbeaten home record against Tonga in Apia to 20 matches with a 43-17 win that keeps their hopes of a fifth Pacific Nations Cup title alive.
Although their performance was littered with handling errors, Samoa were still way too good for a Tonga team playing in their first match of the tournament.
However, Samoa will be disappointed by the way their energy dropped, as it did against Fiji, after they had built up a 29-0 lead with 49 minutes gone.
The bonus-point win moves Samoa to the top of Pool A, level with Fiji on five points but having played a game more.
It was also a good ending to the 100th year celebrations of Test rugby in the country, with the program hosted by Lakapi Samoa on-going throuhgout the week.
Head coach Mase Mahonri Schwalger has made six personnel changes and one positional to last weekend’s starting XV that lost 42-16 to Fiji in Suva.
That move paid off as the Samoan pack dominated the forward battles, led by livewire hooker Sama Malolo and captain Theo McFarland.
While the Tongans, playing their first series game for the year, started strong after kick-off, it was the Samoans who went to the scoreboard first.
Outside centre Stacey Ili finished off a good attacking move from inside the Tongan territory to touch down. Flyhalf Alai D’Amgelo Leuila converted to give the Samoans an early 7-0 lead.
Samoa to the top of Pool A, level with Fiji on five points but having played a game more.
Three minutes later the hosts were on the scoreboard again, this time nippy halfback Melani Matavao slicing through the retreating Tongan defense to set up the try.
His Samoan sevens teammate and Moana Pasifika recruit Tuna Tuitama, playing his second Test in two weekends, ran in untouched in the corner.
The side led 14-0 in the first quarter and 17-0 at halftime.
In the second spell Manu Samoa raked in another 26 points. They ended up scoring six tries, against Tonga’s two.
Tonga, with big Ben Tameifuna leading them upfront, got back into the game in the second half and managed to score 17 points.
With 10 minutes to go, and the scoreline at 29-17 in favour of Samoa, Tonga had the opportunity to get more points.
But basic mistakes and poor defense worked against them.
Tonga will now host Fiji in Nuku’alofa on September 6.
They will need to win to stand a chance of advancing further in the series.
The third placed team from the Pacific pool will meet the third placed team from the Asia pool, which has Japan, Canada and the United States of America.
The top two teams from each pools will meet in Tokyo for the semi-finals.
