KRISTIAN WOOLF believes Tonga are capable of anything after topping Group Pool B/C in the World Cup with a 20-18 victory over Samoa in a thriller at CommBank Stadium.
With eight minutes left on the clock, Addin Fonua-Blake crossed the line for the match-winner, with Isaiya Katoa on hand to add the extras, after also successfully converting tries from Robert Toia and Jojo Fifita, as well as a first-half penalty.
Brian To’o went over for a brace either side of the break for Samoa, while Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Ronald Volkman were also on the scoresheet, as they narrowly missed out on top spot.
Reflecting on the Tonga victory, as preparations for a semi-final meeting with New Zealand on Saturday in Newcastle begin, Woolf said: “I thought it was a great game of footy – high intensity, high quality.
“There were moments where it could’ve gone either way, so I’m really proud of our blokes.
“I felt like we were the better team. We left four opportunities out there in the first half, and a couple out there in the second – we need to nail those.
“We’ve got plenty of improvement left in us, so if we stay on the right track we can do anything.”
Following such a big clash, Samoa head coach Ben Gardiner stated it will be important to both physically and mentally recover ahead of their semi-final meeting with Australia in Sydney next Sunday.
“We’ve done a lot of work on our emotional regulation,” he said.
“A lot of work goes into preparing for a football match, but also about being present and dealing with the hype around the game.
“We’ve done a lot of work to make sure we’re ready each week, and we can deal with things that go against us.”
