Tonga v Wales
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Tonga:
- Latu Talakai
- Paula Ngauamo
- Ben Tameifuna
- Leva Fifita
- Steve Mafi
- Dan Faleafa
- Nili Latu
- Valentino Mapapalangi
- Tane Takulua
- Latiume Fosita
- Cooper Vuna
- Vili Tahitua
- Siale Piutau ( C )
- Nafi Tuitavake
- Dave Halaifonua
Reserves:
16) Suliasi Taufalele
17) Sila Puafisi
18) Phil Kite
19) Sione Tau
20) Mike Faleafa
21) Leon Fukofuka
22) Kali Hala
23) Kiti Taimani -
I'm not close to how solid that tonga team is but surely they have a chance of getting up over a severely depleted Wales side?
Tonga paying $11 to win....
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Nili Latu still playing test footy. He's been around forever.
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Welsh team named.
Coach Robyn McBride had difficulty finding his jumpers in his playing days, but thankfully he's found the balls to pick Sam Davies at 10.
Young, inexperienced team who will hopefully sieze their moment as England did last weekend.
Also very proud day for Thomas Young on his debut. Son of former Wales captain, Brtish Lion, and current Wasps coach David Young and the latest Aberdare Rugby Club player to receive full honours.
Wales XV
15 Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues)
14 Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues)
13 Scott Williams (Scarlets)
12 Jamie Roberts (Harlequins, capt)
11 Steffan Evans (Scarlets)
10 Sam Davies (Ospreys)
9 Gareth Davies (Scarlets)1 Nicky Smith (Ospreys)
2 Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues)
3 Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs)
4 Seb Davies (Cardiff Blues)
5 Cory Hill (Newport Gwent Dragons)
6 Aaron Shingler (Scarlets,)
7 Thomas Young (Wasps)
8 Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues)Replacements:
Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ollie Griffiths (Newport Gwent Dragons)
Aled Davies (Scarlets), Owen Williams (Gloucester), Cory Allen (Ospreys) -
A homecoming for Anscombe too.
There must be a lack of depth on the wing if Cuthbert is still being selected.
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Tonga looks way stronger than Samoa, to me, on paper.
Wouldn't be surprised if Welsh scrum gets demolished.
Surprised Ben T isnt going the French qualified route.
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@Bovidae said in Tonga v Wales:
A homecoming for Anscombe too.
There must be a lack of depth on the wing if Cuthbert is still being selected.
No. Plenty of great talent coming through, but they're still persevering with Cuthbert's mental rehabilitation. Pretty much since he was dropped from the Lions Test team despite being on the winning side and scoring a try.
In fairness, Cuthbert has had a strong domestic season. But as we all know, there's a very big difference between being a good club player and a good Test player.
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@Stargazer said in Tonga v Wales:
Tonga:
- Latu Talakai
- Paula Ngauamo
- Ben Tameifuna
- Leva Fifita
- Steve Mafi
- Dan Faleafa
- Nili Latu
- Valentino Mapapalangi
- Tane Takulua
- Latiume Fosita
- Cooper Vuna
- Vili Tahitua
- Siale Piutau ( C )
- Nafi Tuitavake
- Dave Halaifonua
Reserves:
16) Suliasi Taufalele
17) Sila Puafisi
18) Phil Kite
19) Sione Tau
20) Mike Faleafa
21) Leon Fukofuka
22) Kali Hala
23) Kiti Taimani6 current or former Taniwha players in that team.
Tonga paying $8, ridiculous money, might have to get on them at that price! -
Talakai and Fifita (brother of Vaea) were both in the Waikato squad last year. Ben T is a former Mooloo too.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Tonga v Wales:
Nili Latu still playing test footy. He's been around forever.
He was Wellington academy before he went to BOP and that was a looong time ago.
Edit, just found this . So long ago Rattue actually wrote interesting articles. Didn't know he played for NZ schoolboys.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=3587312
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What is up with these idiot commentators saying that was a try, TMO the only one who got it right (unbelievably & thankfully)
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@Tordah Ha, did you notice how Cully didn't respond when Laban said that it was a try? Laban is one of the worst - if not the worst - NZ commentators around.
I remember when he was commentating an U20 game last week, he said "ahhh, award that try, they should award that try" because he felt sorry for the team if it wasn't awarded. It clearly wasn't a try and wasn't awarded. He then said that the player deserved it. It was like he was commentating an U8 rippa rugby game.
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@Bovidae said in Tonga v Wales:
Talakai and Fifita (brother of Vaea) were both in the Waikato squad last year. Ben T is a former Mooloo too.
Hmmm, I forgot that Ben T got shipped off to the Mooloos. Stupid Bishop and Philpott.
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@Nepia Wasn't that because he was always seriously overweight when he returned from the Chiefs after SR?
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Good opening stanza for Wales.
Strong, accurate defence and set piece.
Sam Davies has been a breath of fresh air. Got the backline moving. Roberts and Williams looking sharp.
And Cuthbert.
If at first you don't succeed, again again TRY.
Great pass from Anscombe and thankfully Cuthbert got the rub of the green he deserved.
If Sam Davies had kicked his goals, Wales would already have breathing space.
Tonga dominating the scrum exchange in the second stanza but resolute defence denies them a try.
32 mins gone
Tonga 3 - 8 Wales
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That was weak from the officials. Would have taken seconds to check that the ball hit the line.
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@MiketheSnow said in Tonga v Wales:
That was weak from the officials. Would have taken seconds to check that the ball hit the line.
You want to involve the TMO for little things like this? I'd rather the officials just make a decision on the go. They're not using the TMO to check whether a player was offside in regular phase play, either. You win some, you lose some.
Tongans lack cohesion so far. A lot. Welsh looking OK I guess, considering that's probably quite the B-team
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@Tordah said in Tonga v Wales:
@MiketheSnow said in Tonga v Wales:
That was weak from the officials. Would have taken seconds to check that the ball hit the line.
You want to involve the TMO for little things like this? I'd rather the officials just make a decision on the go. They're not using the TMO to check whether a player was offside in regular phase play, either. You win some, you lose some.
Fair enough. Would have been a significant difference in field position though. Anscombe was on the spot, touch judge not up with play.
Half-time and Wales deservedly go in ahead
Tonga 3 - 8 Wales
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Good start to the second half from the Tongans, but the Tongan 7 should have seen yellow for the neck roll clearing out the Welsh 8 Navidi in the build up to the penalty.
Tonga 6 - 8 Wales
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Touch judge saw that one hit the line 😉
Anscombe having his best game in 'Black'
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Penalty to Wales, Davies found his kicking boots.
Tonga 6 - 11 Wales
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great tackle
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BOOMFA
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Allen took it like a champ. Thumbs up
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Agreed. Shit body position going for the line.
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@MiketheSnow said in Tonga v Wales:
Agreed. Shit body position going for the line.
Running more upright than Jeremy Thrush
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Good debut from Thomas Young.
Along with Dacey and Sam Davies, sons of former Welsh internationals.
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This one's on a knife edge. Could go either way.
Wales has always struggled against Islander teams on a Friday night 😞
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That was fucking rubbish from Roberts.
He should be buying all the drinks for that shit.
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Gareth Davies doing his best Pikey Mike Phillips impression.
Get rid or go for it.
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Hooray. Finally got one.
Tongan 10 pinged for neck roll.
Davies hits it.
Tonga 6 - 14 Wales
68 mins gone
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Wales not rolling away at the breakdown.
Penalty is short and wide.
Tonga 6 - 14 Wales
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Roberts and Davies with great kicks to pin Tonga deep in their own half.
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That's piss poor. Penalty advantage and we kick a sniff away.
Davies slots the penalty.
Tonga 6 - 17 Wales
77 mins gone
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This game has been rubbish and this whole event has been a fizzer. Hopefully game 2 is decent.
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Great finish for Wales.
Penalty try from a strong maul.
Assured, smart performance from Wales.
We've lost games like this in the past.
Strong debuts.
Sam Davies tried to get his backline moving.
Anscombe MOTM.
Tonga 6 - 24 Wales
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This was pretty much Wales A v a young Tongan team that was missing 4 players due to injury (incl Jack Ram) and only assembled 5 days ago. Not sure whether we could expect more than what we've seen tonight. As was just said in the post-match interview, it was good that Tonga could play in front of their fans in NZ, but it's even better that they can play their next games at home at Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku'alofa, which has just been re-opened today.
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