NEW ZEALAND 40 TONGA 14
TOM SMITH, Eden Park, Auckland, Sunday
DYLAN BROWN led New Zealand to a big win over Tonga at a hostile Eden Park, booking the Kiwis’ place in the Pacific Cup decider against Samoa in Parramatta on Sunday.
The lion’s share of the 38,000-strong crowd was decked out in Tongan red, but the New Zealanders silenced them by scoring seven tries to two.
Two of those scores belonged to star stand-off Brown, who assisted two more tries.
Even the strange sin-binning of Erin Clark on the stroke of half-time couldn’t derail the Kiwis’ momentum.
Tonga ran out to a sea of red flags at Eden Park knowing they needed to win by 17 points to pip New Zealand to a place in the Pacific Cup final.
And they could take inspiration from holding off the Kiwis 25-24 thanks to a late Isaiya Katoa field-goal 12 months ago.
But this clash was one-way traffic as the men in black dominated from start to finish.
The Kiwis won a pulsating tournament opener against Samoa a fortnight ago – a brutal encounter that dented both sides’ casualty ward.
With Ronaldo Mulitalo (ACL) and Jeremy Marshall-King (thumb) sidelined, Stacey Jones called on Gold Coast youngster Keano Kini and Te Maire Martin for his first international in seven years.
Brisbane Broncos premiership winner Xavier Willison also made his NZ bow in Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s place.
Seven days after the Samoans dismantled his side in storm-struck Brisbane, Kristian Woolf welcomed back enforcer Jason Taumalolo (knee) to lead Tonga against the nation he used to represent.
Robert Toia (foot), Stefano Utoikamanu (concussion), Tolutau Koula and Leka Halasima made way, bringing in Paul Alamoti, Will Penisini and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.
Following the spine-tingling pre-game exchange of war cries, neither side snatched the early advantage.
It took the hosts 19 minutes to capitalise on their ascendency via Kini, who backed up a Casey McLean bust.
Brown’s speed and footwork then beat Tonga’s under-siege goal-line defence before the Kiwis engineered another stunning long-range move.
After Jamayne Isaako galloped down the right touchline, Brown chipped the ball across the park to McLean, who reached out to claim his seventh try in three Tests.
Not done there, outstanding right-edge pair Briton Nikora and Matthew Timoko combined for NZ’s fourth try.
But the game took a turn at half-time, when Clark’s silly ruck penalty landed him in the bin and gifted Tonga their first points off Isaiya Katoa’s boot.
Isaako booted a penalty goal of his own following the restart, although the Tongans eventually cashed in on their numerical advantage when Soni Luke sent Demitric Vaimauga crashing over.
But the Kiwis weren’t going to cough up their big lead.
First Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad steamed through, then Brown completed his double, pouncing on a ricocheted McLean pass.
And when Phoenix Crossland made the most of Martin’s clever offload, NZ were cruising to the finish line.
But Tonga sent their sizeable support home with something to cheer about, as veteran winger Daniel Tupou found the left corner.
GAMESTAR: Phoenix Crossland’s late try off a brilliant Te Maire Martin offload finished the Kiwis’ seven-try rout.
GAMEBREAKER: Dylan Brown bagged a brace and assisted two more tries to guide New Zealand to a commanding victory.
MATCHFACTS
NEW ZEALAND
1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (New Zealand Warriors)
2 Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins)
3 Matthew Timoko (Canberra Raiders)
4 Casey McLean (Penrith Panthers)
20 Keano Kini (Gold Coast Titans)
6 Dylan Brown (Parramatta Eels)
7 Kieran Foran (Gold Coast Titans)
8 James Fisher-Harris (New Zealand Warriors)
9 Phoenix Crossland (Newcastle Knights)
10 Moses Leota (Penrith Panthers)
11 Briton Nikora (Cronulla Sharks)
12 Isaiah Papali’i (Penrith Panthers)
13 Joseph Tapine (Canberra Raiders)
Subs (all used)
14 Te Maire Martin (New Zealand Warriors)
15 Naufahu Whyte (Sydney Roosters)
16 Erin Clark (New Zealand Warriors)
17 Xavier Willison (Brisbane Broncos)
Tries: Kini (19), Brown (24, 65), McLean (29), Timoko (37), Nicoll-Klokstad (52), Crossland (71)
Goals: Isaako 6/8
Sin bin: Clark (40) – professional foul
TONGA
1 Lehi Hopoate (Manly Sea Eagles)
2 Daniel Tupou (Sydney Roosters)
4 Paul Alamoti (Penrith Panthers)
19 Will Penisini (Parramatta Eels)
5 Sione Katoa (Cronulla Sharks)
6 Isaiah Iongi (Parramatta Eels)
7 Isaiya Katoa (Dolphins)
8 Addin Fonua-Blake (Cronulla Sharks)
9 Siliva Havili (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
16 Moeaki Fotuaika (Gold Coast Titans)
11 Eliesa Katoa (Melbourne Storm)
15 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (The Dolphins)
13 Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys)
Subs (all used)
10 Felise Kaufusi (Dolphins)
12 Siua Wong (Sydney Roosters)
14 Soni Luke (Penrith Panthers)
16 Demitric Vaimauga (New Zealand Warriors)
Tries: Vaimauga (49), Tupou (76)
Goals: I Katoa 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 24-0, 24-2; 26-2, 26-8, 30-8, 36-8, 40-8, 40-14
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
New Zealand: Dylan Brown; Tonga: Siua Wong
Penalty count: 4-8
Half-time: 24-2
Referee: Ashley Klein