Tonga schools under 18 win first tour match 45-8 Featured
Tonga U 18 Team before the game
9 September, 2019. The game started with Tonga having the ball for the first ten minutes, but scrambling defence and a great breakdown turnover from New South Wales Catholic Combined Colleges (CCC) saw them hold out.
The next ten minutes saw both sides with a good share of the ball and attacking each other’s line. CCC were eventually given a penalty within kicking distance and Pat Pelligrini made them pay and CCC went to a surprise 3-0 lead.
This only seemed to wake the Tongans up and within their own 22, they launched an attacking raid that eventually lead to a try in the 25th minute. From the kickoff, another attacking raid led to Sione Vuna scoring a try, losing both boots on the way to the line.
Five minutes later they again scored from a maul 30 metres out to which the referee at half time would be quoted as saying that it was one of the best and quickest mauling tries that he had ever seen. The relentless pressure from the big Tonga team was taking its toll and as oranges approached, the Tongan captain, Oloset Voni scored next to the posts and with the successful conversion, Tonga went into the break 26-3 ahead.
The second half started the same way as the first, with Tonga having most of the ball and CCC defending for their lives. CCC eventually got some ball and a good break down the sideline led to a penalty lineout. CCC then had their chance to score from a mauling drive, but were held up over the line.
Some great attacking play from both teams then followed and from a lineout turnover, the Tongans scored in the corner to take a 31 -3 lead. Both sides then made changes, but the physicality of these changes, didn’t make much difference and after further sustained pressure, the Tongans scored again for a 38-5 lead.
An intercept try to Molitoni Latu soon after saw the score blow out to 45-3. Not to be outdone, the CCC boys never gave up and were rewarded with the final try of the game, with Tomothy Lilomaiava finishing off a great backline movement, scoring in the corner, for a final score of 45-8.
It was a great game, played in good spirit and at the post match function, both teams participated in a great cultural exchange. Nicholas Dolley, Timothy Lilomaiava from CCC and Oloseti Voni and Sione Wolfgram from Tonga, were identified as being the standout players from both teams.
-Australian Schools Rugby
