RWC warmup Tonga v Canada

[Daffy Jaffy]

TONGA
1 Tau Koloamatangi, 2 Sam Moli, 3 David Lolohea, 4 Steve Mafi, 5 Tanginoa Halaifonua, 6 Solomone Funaki, 7 Sione Havili, 8 Sione Vailanu, 9 Tane Takulua (capt.), 10 Patrick Pellegrini, 11 Fine Inisi, 12 George Moala, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 14 Kyren Taumoefolau, 15 Afusipa Taumoepeau

Replacements: 16 Paula Ngauamo, 17 Fe’ao Fotu’aika, 18 Ben Tameifuna, 19 Vaea Fitita, 20 Lopeti Timani, 21 Johnny Ika, 22 Otumaka Mausia, 23 Solomone Kata

CANADA
1 Liam Murray, 2 Andrew Quattrin, 3 Conor Young, 4 Izzak Kelly, 5 Conor Keys, 6 Mason Flesch, 7 Lucas Rumball (capt.), 8 Siaki Vikilani, 9 Ross Braude, 10 Robbie Povey, 11 Isaac Olson, 12 Spencer Jones, 13 Ben LeSage, 14 Kainoa Lloyd, 15 Peter Nelson

Replacements: 16 Foster DeWitt, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Cole Keith, 19 Piers von Dadelszen, 20 Sion Parry, 21 Travis Larsen, 22 Jason Higgins, 23 Mitch Richardson

Date: Thursday, August 10 (Wednesday, August 9 in North America)
Kickoff: 15:00 local (Wednesday 19:00 Pacific, 22:00 Eastern)
Venue: Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku’alofa

Referee: Jordan Way (Australia)
Assistants: James Doleman (New Zealand) & Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji)

[Stargazer]

Thursday 10 August 2023
Kick-off 2.00pm NZT (3.00pm local time)
Nuku'alofa

[Daffy Jaffy]

Noted that Israel Folau has not been involved in these warmup matches. Is he injured, dropped, withdrawn himself or getting special treatment and just has to turn up in France?

[Stargazer]

@Daffy-Jaffy From the article below:

Star players like Israel Folau and Augustine Pulu are still nursing injuries and the coach has opted to sit them out of the pre-World Cup matches.

It will be physical and brutal: Ikale Tahi

Tonga is expecting a brutal and physical affair against Manu Samoa at Apia Park this Saturday as they look to bounce back following two consecutive defeats. The Ikale Tahi is coming on the back of two losses to Fiji and Japan and is hungry for a win and head coach Toutai Kefu has named a very str...

[Stargazer]

To @Higgins and others: It's still not clear to me whether Sky will broadcast this game, but I'm told that this FB page will stream the game live. It looks reasonably legit, as they've just finished streaming the curtain raiser.

https://www.facebook.com/lonijovi04

The commentary may be in Tongan.

[Higgins]

@Stargazer Thank you. The Fern would be lost without you!

[Higgins]

'Ikale Tahi are all over them, outmuscling them up front and punching through whenever they decide to smash it up. Also finding gaps in the back line with disconcerting ease. This promises to be a wide margin if the home side keep their act together and their mind on the job, especially considering they have a couple of their big names on the bench.
Twenty minutes gone and its 'Ikale Tahi 14 - 03 Canada

[Stargazer]

HT: Tonga 21 - 3 Canada

Tongan tries scored by Sam Moli, Sonatane Takulua and Sione Vailanu, and converted by Takulua.

Canada managed to score only one penalty, despite Tonga having a man in the bin in the last 9 minutes of the first half.

[Higgins]

Well not quite a reverse jibx but Canada had most of the ball and a large territorial advantage in the second 20 minutes and spent an awful lot of time within five or ten yards of the 'Ikale Tahi tryline. They did not have the skill or expertise to convert that into points despite earning about half a dozen or more penalties. And as Murphy's Law would have it Tonga finally got their mitts onto the ball and scored a typical Tongan forward bruising converted try right on half time to close out the score 'Ikale Tahi 21 - 03 Canada

[Stargazer]

George Moala can forget the RWC, unless the juciary disagrees with the ref. He just got red-carded for a tip tackle. #stupid

[Higgins]

@stargazer Not necessarily as they have another game against Canade on Tuesday (I think) then bound to be a couple of other warm up games up North that would count toward the stand down.

[Stargazer]

@Higgins Yeah, I guess with all the deductions, he may get only a 3-game ban.

[Stargazer]

I just checked. The second Canada game seems to be Tonga's last (confirmed) warm-up match. They'd better organise a few more, even if it's against tier 3 countries in Europe.

[Higgins]

There must be some local club games either in Tonga or a pre season game for the outfit he plays for up north that he was scheduled to play in, not to mention the final Tongan Trial! Anyway as I ponder that situation the 'Ikale Tale rack up another converted try.

[Stargazer]

FT: Tonga 28 - 3 Canada

Tonga's second half try was scored by Sione Vailanu and converted by Takulua.

This win will be good for Tonga's confidence after their losses during the Pacific Nations Series, but Canada is utter sh*t, of course. Tonga played 45 minutes with 14 men and Canada couldn't score a single point during that time.

Edit: after a comment by the interviewer about Canada's preparations for this match, I checked and Canada only had a 12-day camp in Fiji, including a closed training scrimmage with the Fijian Drua academy before this game. That's all they had, so that explains it a bit.

[Higgins]

And they had a proper brass band in attendance to provide the music. A real look back to times well in the past when only a few of us on here will be able to recall watching the band perform at half time.

[Duluth]

Full match video