RWC: England v Tonga (Pool C)

[Duluth]

England:
Elliot Daly, Anthony Watson, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell, Jonny May, George Ford, Ben Youngs, Billy Vunipola, Sam Underhill, Tom Curry, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler.
​Reserves: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Dan Cole, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Henry Slade, Jonathan Joseph

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Tonga:
David Halaifonua, Atieli Pakalani, Siale Piutau (captain), Cooper Vuna, Viliami Lolohea, Kurt Morath, Sonatane Takulua; Maama Vaipulu, Zane Kapeli, Sione Kalamafoni, Halaleva Fifita, Sam Lousi, Ben Tameifuna, Sosefo Sakalia, Siegfried `Fisiihoi.
Reserves: Siua Maile, Latu Talakai, Ma'afu Fia, Dan Faleafa, Nasi Manu, Leon Fukofuka, James Faiva, Nafi Tu'itavake

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https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup/rwc-2019-japan/115973975/rugby-world-cup-willi-heinz-on-the-bench-for-england-in-their-opener-against-tonga

[Crucial]

Is this the time for the English scribes to make comments about hard tackling head hunters taking out star players?
If anyone is going to get taken out are nominations open?

[Bones]

@Crucial said in England vs Tonga:

Is this the time for the English scribes to make comments about hard tackling head hunters taking out star players?
If anyone is going to get taken out are nominations open?

Care and Brown to do a van Zyl on Jones.

[Machpants]

So Eddie was bluffing when he said he'd changed his mind about getting his top side out for this

[MiketheSnow]

England lots to little.

Bloodbath.

[Frank]

I had the English ITV commentary on last night during the AB game.

Funny hearing the English commentators trying to hype up Tonga - conveniently neglecting they had 90 points put on them a few weeks ago.

[mofitzy_]

@MiketheSnow said in RWC: England v Tonga (Pool C):

England lots to little.

Bloodbath.

Unfortunately can only see this, hopefully Tonga don't roll over and at least make it physically competitive.

[Chris]

Come on Tonga big hits all night please

[Frank]

I'd hate to see Owen Farrell shoulder charged.

[Chris]

@Frank said in RWC: England v Tonga (Pool C):

I'd hate to see Owen Farrell shoulder charged.

Oh wow that would be horrible 😎

[Canerbry]

@Frank said in RWC: England v Tonga (Pool C):

I had the English ITV commentary on last night during the AB game.

Funny hearing the English commentators trying to hype up Tonga - conveniently neglecting they had 90 points put on them a few weeks ago.

If England get less than a 92-7 win it's a failure, right?

[Bones]

Classic. English commentator summoning the ignorant ghost of yesteryear. Billy born in Tonga apparently.

[Chris]

@Canerbry said in RWC: England v Tonga (Pool C):

@Frank said in RWC: England v Tonga (Pool C):

I had the English ITV commentary on last night during the AB game.

Funny hearing the English commentators trying to hype up Tonga - conveniently neglecting they had 90 points put on them a few weeks ago.

If England get less than a 92-7 win it's a failure, right?

I consider it a failure by Tonga if they don’t hurt at least 2 poms

[Rembrandt]

Christ I forget how big Tameifuna is!
Reckon there might be some sumo scouts in the crowd looking to give him a call?

[mariner4life]

England making some big tackles. Like Ireland, very strong and very accurate in the tackle

[Chris]

There we fucking go first big hit

[MiketheSnow]

Yessssss

[Bones]

@MiketheSnow said in RWC: England v Tonga (Pool C):

Yessssss

Classic pom commentator now trying to call into question the legality of the tackle.

[Rapido]

Ha ha, jeez at no point did I think Takalua would actually slot that. Eccentric routine, but it works.

[Chris]

Good from Tonga

[Bones]

"brilliant defensive work from the islanders" 😂

Is this Harrison?

[hydro11]

England have missed some chances to go wide. Not sure why. Tongans are not great one on one tacklers.

[Chris]

There’s some real space out wide for Tonga if they move it to the fringes

[hydro11]

Tonga are diffusing the high balls well but their forwards are already feeling the pace (which hasn't been electric). They will get done here but are doing a good job so far.

[mofitzy_]

Good work by Tonga to keep that up.

[Chris]

No try FFS

[Bones]

He was tackled and got up.

That second tackle is high though. Penalty try.

[Stargazer]

Great try saver. 22 minutes played and it's 3 all. Didn't expect that.

[mariner4life]

Good work to hold that up. Delaying the inevitable you would think

[Canerbry]

Shit finishing England, he had the ball over the line and fucked around.

[Chris]

Tuilagi Is a serious beast

[mofitzy_]

Wouldn't have picked it take England 25 minutes to get their first.

[Chris]

How the fuck is that a try

[hydro11]

If he saw it grounded, it will be a try. I still wonder when the ref saw it though.

[Chris]

@hydro11 how could he the ref guessed it was grounded on the Tongans leg and then held up

[Stargazer]

Agree with the comms. The English had plenty of time to get that ball on the line after the whistle and before the ref was at the right side to check a grounding. The TMO was never going to find any evidence.

[MiketheSnow]

Bullshit call

[Bones]

That s a weird call, especially following the previous one.

If you're calling try, surely you've seen it grounded so was he only looking for a knock on?

[Chris]

@Bones it was BS

[African Monkey]

Lol what the hell was Itoje doing there?