Pacific Championships 2024

[Farmduck]

Siliva Havili try. It's a Tonganado!

[Farmduck]

32min: Soni Luke try from dummy half. I wonder when the Kiwis will turn up.

[Father Gascoigne]

Watching this out the corner of my eye. It's a good thing there doesn't seem to be a single Kiwi supporter in the packed stands. 

[Farmduck]

HT:  Tonga 24  NZ  6

[graveyard johnny]

NZ are very very poor - nothing like the team that beat Aus and won the comp last year - Tonga playing well though

[Jim from Oz]

The young Kiwi fullback is an exciting prospect, but he is just too small! Maybe they could move him to the wing, and bring CNK to fullback? CNK should NOT be at #6 !

[Father Gascoigne]

15 minutes ago, Jim from Oz said:

The young Kiwi fullback is an exciting prospect, but he is just too small! Maybe they could move him to the wing, and bring CNK to fullback? CNK should NOT be at #6 !

Well, he's small enough to draw penalties from high hits! 

IIRC that's both Kiwi tries scored following penalties. 

Penalties will be the only way they get back into this game, because Tonga are easily marching up the ground in possession and should be good for another few tries. 

[Father Gascoigne]

Lovely stuff from the Kiwis. Hiku, Johnson and Kini combine to reduce it just 6* points. 24-16 with conversion in front of goal to come. 

Edit: Honourable mention to actual tryscorer in the end, Crossland. 

Edited November 2, 2024 by Father Gascoigne

[Keith989]

Looks like NZ have this now.

[Archie Gordon]

26 minutes ago, Jim from Oz said:

The young Kiwi fullback is an exciting prospect, but he is just too small! Maybe they could move him to the wing, and bring CNK to fullback? CNK should NOT be at #6 !

Nope. Keep him at #1! 

[StandOffHalf]

What an amazing game this is.

Tonga rampant in the first 35 minutes, but game back on now.

[StandOffHalf]

6 minutes ago, Father Gascoigne said:

Lovely stuff from the Kiwis. Hiku, Johnson and Kini combine to reduce it just 6* points. 24-16 with conversion in front of goal to come. 

Edit: Honourable mention to actual tryscorer in the end, Crossland. 

Lovely depth and backing-up on the inside.

Those sorts of tries off Johnson are so visually attractive.

Edited November 2, 2024 by StandOffHalf

[StandOffHalf]

Fonua-Blake is having a wow of a game.

Taumalolo and him are some 1-2 punch today!

Edited November 2, 2024 by StandOffHalf

[Father Gascoigne]

Great play from Katoa to strip the ball. Momentum was with Kiwis. Could be a game-saver. 

Nikorima about to come on. 

[StandOffHalf]

Really poor from JFH to pull up an injured Tongan.

He deserves to be banned for that. You don't pull someone up like that 

[StandOffHalf]

Kiwis keep it alive and Tapine bobbles it ahead and goes around Katoa.

I think we are going to be level... Wow!!!

[Father Gascoigne]

Just now, StandOffHalf said:

Kiwis keep it alive and Tapine bobbles it ahead and goes around Katoa.

I think we are going to be level... Wow!!!

What was that?! It's like they all stopped expecting a whistle for...what exactly? A backward pass? 

[StandOffHalf]

Just now, Father Gascoigne said:

What was that?! It's like they all stopped expecting a whistle for...what exactly? A backward pass? 

I don't think anyone expected a forward to do that!

[Father Gascoigne]

You'd think it was Tonga who played last week. They look completely cooked. I still reckon they steal this. 

[StandOffHalf]

Kiwis running downhill.

The tide has turned. 4 one way; 4 the other way.

[bobbruce]

4 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Really poor from JFH to pull up an injured Tongan.

He deserves to be banned for that. You don't pull someone up like that 

Really don’t know how he hasn’t got a card for that  it’s as straight forward as they come. 

[StandOffHalf]

Just now, bobbruce said:

Really don’t know how he hasn’t got a card for that  it’s as straight forward as they come. 

Yeah, it was a bad one. Pretty baffling.

[Father Gascoigne]

Tonga finally complete a set. Their forwards still making easy gains. No errors and Tonga have this. 

[StandOffHalf]

Katoa nails the FG under immense pressure from the Kiwi #12.

25-24

[Copa]

Great game!