Rugby Live

Finished Paris

England 36 - Tonga 20

England

Tonga

  1. England battle through to last eight

    England battle through to last eight

    England survived a battling first-half Tonga performance to triumph by a convincing margin of 36-20 and secured a place in the quarter-finals against Australia in Marseille on October 6. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:80'
    • England
    • Tonga
    • 80' The final whistle and England are through to the quarter-finals. Tonga battled them all the way, but it wasn't to be.
    • 80' A cheeky quick kick from Hola right out on the touchline gives Tonga another two points. Well done that man.
    • 79' Tonga keep up the pressure and the ball is used on the left... Hale T Pole goes over low in the corner and the decision is referred to video. The try is given.
    • 76' Tonga giving their all to the end of the 80 minutes, as was their boast, despite the game having moved away from them. Lilo should make the line for a consolation try... but he is kept back. Tonga look for a try with a penalty, but England again defend doggedly.
    • 72' Sub Hipkiss, perhaps unfortunate not to start, gains ground for Wilkinson to kick another drop-goal from outside the 22. Excellent execution from the good-looking one.
    • 71' Lilo with a run into England territory for Tonga. The ballis defended and the Whites come straight back...
    • 69' Awesome low kick by Farrell over halfway to put Tonga back near their ten-metre line for the lineout.
    • 67' That was brilliant by the rugby league legend. England extend their lead further as Wilkinson kicks for 33-13. This looks in the bag now.
    • 66' Wilkinson to Farrell and he moves around him for the return... Farrell shapes for it but dummies and POWERS OVER THE LINE FOR THE TRY!
    • 64' Dallaglio is on for Corry to a big welcome from the England fans.
    • 63' England with the ball inside the Tongan 22. It is lost and Tonga kick low... Wilkinson on top of it and Moody brings it back again... relentless stuff from England.
    • 59' Tait again with a burst, this time on the left, and Tonga are now on the back foot. Good work by the backs. Scrum 15 metres out.
    • 58' Wilkinson converts for a 26-13 scoreline.
    • 56' Cueto through the gap and he looks right, left then fails to release the ball! It is recycled to the left and when the ball comes to Tait - via Easter - he sneaks DOWN LOW THROUGH THE DEFENCE TO SCORE FOR ENGLAND!
    • 56' Filise back on for the Pacific side, skipper Vickery for England in place of Stevens.
    • 54' Tonga piling pressure on England now. A penalty for them is taken quickly and they eat up the field... another penalty is given and this time Hola will kick for three points. 19-13 the score, less than a converted Tonga try...
    • 52' Penalty given to Tonga as England look to come into the halfway-line scrum from the side. They kick to touch... Farrell on for Barkley for the Red Rose.
    • 49' Ball over the top and England are at sea for a minute... Gomarsall takes it but is forced to touch down over the try-line. Five-metre scrum... Gomarsall knocks the ball out and Moody shoots past the packs to dive on the ball. England's defence stands strong in a perilous situation.
    • 47' Tonga replace loosehead prop Tonga'uiha - Soane that is - with Filise.
    • 45' Tait shimmies his way through and is taken down in Tongan territory... the up-and-under from Wilkinson is well followed by Barkley and he prevents the mark, but Tonga eventually clear to touch.
    • 44' Wilkinson will like this - it is central. He strikes it wide though in the rain...
    • 43' The answer, according to the officials, is yes. He went straight on and hit him with a bear-hig like tackle. It was a close-run thing though and so there is no yellow card. Penalty to England on the 22...
    • 43' England take down a lineout and drive on... Moody takes the ball and as he looks to pass Latu smacks into him! He's not having much luck is our Lewis... was it high?
    • 41' Wilkinson kicks us off in the second half.
    • - An entertaining first half then, hardly vintage stuff from England but there are bright spots. Sackey is the best man out there so far while Wilkinson is also important, with nine points to his name. If he gets to 22 he will break Gavin Hastings' record 227 World Cup points. Let's hope he doesn't take after the Scot with his last-ditch penalty-taking! Sorry to any Scots tuning in...
    • 40' The 40 minutes are up... England put the ball into touch and that is half time.
    • 39' Wilkinson cannot hit the target from the touchline and so the score is 19-10.
    • 38' The ball is dropped by Tonga and Sackey picks up well inside his own half - he has the field in front of him! There is a defender after him but the Wasps man is too quick - ENGLAND SCORE AGAIN!
    • 37' Centre Hufanga again nips through, looking dangerous for Tonga. They are intent of reaching the last eight for the first time in the nation's history.
    • 36' England penalty from in front of the Tongan 22. It is to the right - another chance for Wilkinson to add to his total. It's just inside the post. 14-10
    • 34' Hufanga and Taione battle the English defensive line and are met with resistance. The latter loses the ball and Gomarsall kicks long... Sackey chases down but it is cleared by the Pacific Islanders.
    • 31' Nothing doing though and England are pushed back. The ball is popped to Wilkinson a way out... the trusty left foot (not the one that famously won the World Cup of course) sends the ball through the posts. That's the way to do it, Olly! 11-10 England
    • 30' Excellent low kick from Jonny out of hand puts England right in the corner. They contest the lineout and win a five-metre scrum... England put-in.
    • 29' Gomarsall takes it on and tries for the line, kept back. After a delay in getting the ball out Barkley looks for a drop-goal close in... it is wide. Boo. Wilkinson was right out on the left for some reason - he should have been there! Bad miss.
    • 27' Handling error from Tonga and England have the five-metre scrum! The crowd chant as they go... it is reformed by referee Alain Rolland...
    • 26' Tonga number eight Maka takes the ball out of the five-metre scrum and sneaks down the left of it, good defending by the man with the big hair.
    • 25' Sackey in particular is having an effect when he gets on the ball, powering into his opponents with speed. England attack the right corner but cannot find a way through - back it comes to the left and Chuter goes straight at the Tongans, but the ball is knocked on. Unlucky.
    • 24' After some more dodgy Tonga kicking out of hand - although WIlkinson was poor in that area of his game against Samoa, he was still better than this - England pile forward...
    • 22' Wilkinson with a difficult conversion from the right touchline. He puts it well wide of the far post. Oh well. 10-8 Tonga
    • 21' It is close - wing Sackey slid before he caught the ball and then seemed to touch it down over his shoulder before his elbow went into touch - the ref confirms this and England have hit straight back!
    • 20' SACKEY TOUCHES DOWN IN THE FAR CORNER - BUT WAS HE IN TOUCH? It will go to video ref Mark Lawrence. What a kick over the top by Jonny, great vision.
    • 20' England attack immediately with Barkley. A penalty for them, will they kick? No, Wilkinson takes it quickly and drops one to the far corner of the pitch...
    • 19' England in trouble then after Hola kicks the conversion from close in. 10-3 the score and the French public cheer them on!
    • 17' Tonga come out of the scrum with the ball and Brive outside centre Hufanga takes the offload from Taione... he battles his way to the try line and slides over FOR THE OPENING TRY!!!
    • 15' England break - a good kick by scrum-half Gomarsall is collected by Barkley and he races over the 22, but he is penalised for not releasing the ball. A shame as England looked to be in a promising position there.
    • 14' Jonny steps up and kicks easily to level things up. Remember, they have to win here - unless they draw having scored four tries and the Tongans don't.
    • 12' Chuter with the ball as the England pack drives forward in the maul. The ball is passed to Sackey and he looks for a gap. After he is tackled and the ball is turned over there is a penalty to England for handling in the ruck.
    • 11' England drive on and Barkley eventually kicks over the top, but Hufanga is back to catch. They clear with the drop-out.
    • 10' The left-footed kick just to the right of the posts sails through to give Tonga the lead, 3-0.
    • 9' Cueto put to the floor and he does not release the ball, giving a penalty to Tonga. Fly-half Hola will kick for goal from behind the 22.
    • 8' Full-back Lilo again looks to break through but is hauled down, excellent pressure from England. They have the put in to the scrum near halfway.
    • 6' Lineout on halfway and England have it... Wilkinson out to outside centre Tait and the attack is on... the ball is turned over by the latter Newcastle man. Lilo on the break down the right and England are saved by a whistle.
    • 4' Tonga threaten the England 22 but an obstruction gives the Whites a penalty. Wilkinson clears to touch.
    • 3' After the first contested ruck England are penalised for handling and Tonga take the opportunity to clear.
    • 2' Flanker Moody is fine to continue to cheers from the crowd. They are really getting behind their team when they need them.
    • 1' Tonga win the lineout, although it goes over the back. Lilo looks to kick... it is almost charged down and Moody's face catches his knee after the ball goes! A nasty accident...
    • 1' A good take by captain Corry and Wilkinson kicks clear. Positive start from England.
    • 1' Here we go then... Tonga kick off to a massive roar from the England fans!
    • - England come to meet Tonga during their Haka and the crowd sing Sweet Chariot. A strangely moving moment in world rugby.
    • - Now for the Tongan effort, which is a bit subdued - like a hymn. Tongan former All Black star Jonah Lomu looks on from the sideline, as does coach Quddus Fielea - now that is a name!
    • - The players are out and the English national anthem rings out around the ground. Head coach Brian Ashton looks on, undoubtedly praying for a performance from his men... not to mention a result.
    • - Kick off approaches in Paris' Parc des Princes with the stands full of Englishmen. Are they set to see history, with England the first defending team to fail to make it past the pool stage of the following tournament?
    • - Hale T-Pole is back after suspension at blindside flanker for Tonga while Viliami Vaki moves to lock in place of Paino Hehea, who is out of the tournament with a shoulder injury. Lisiate Fa'aoso enters the second row, with Emosi Kauhenga making way.
    • - For England captain Phil Vickery remains on the sidelines following his return from a two-match suspension. Young Matt Stevens remains as the tighthead prop. There is also no place for Wasps number eight Lawrence Dallaglio, who has only faced the USA so far in this tournament. Bath lock Steve Borthwick comes in for another Wasps man, Simon Shaw.
    • - The team that wins here in Paris will progress. If the result is a draw, the Pacific Islanders will go through - provided that England have not scored four tries while they fail to do so.
    • - With South Africa, vanquishers of both these teams, safely through to the quarter-finals and set to meet either Wales or Fiji, the second spot is wide open - although Australia lie in wait in the last eight.
    • - Welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE text commentary on the decisive World Cup Pool A clash between England and Tonga.

  • Summary

    England versus Tonga
    Sackey 20’, 39’, Tait 57’, Farrell 66’ Tries Hufanga 18’, T-Pole 80’
    Wilkinson 58’, 67’ Conversions Hola 19’, 80’
    Wilkinson 14’, 37’ Penalties Hola 9’, 55’
    Wilkinson 32’, 72’ Drops  

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Alain Rolland

  • England

    Manager: Brian Ashton

    On the Field

    • Sheridan
    • Chuter Substitution Out (70′)
    • Stevens Substitution Out (57′)
    • Borthwick
    • Kay
    • Corry Substitution Out (65′)
    • Moody
    • Easter
    • Gomarsall
    • Wilkinson
    • Cueto Substitution Out (72′)
    • Barkley Substitution Out (52′)
    • Tait Try
    • Sackey Tries×2 Substitution Out (67′)
    • Lewsey

    Subs

    • Dallaglio Substitution In (65′)
    • Worsley
    • Richards Substitution In (72′)
    • Vickery Substitution In (57′)
    • Mears Substitution In (70′)
    • Hipkiss Substitution In (67′)
    • Farrell Substitution In (52′) Try

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Tonga

    Manager: Quddus Fielea

    On the Field

    • Tongau'uhia Substitution Out (47′)
    • Lutui Substitution Out (65′)
    • Pulu
    • Vaki Substitution Out (61′)
    • Fa'aoso Substitution Out (67′)
    • T-Pole Try
    • Latu
    • Maka
    • Tuipulotu
    • Hola
    • Vaka Substitution Out (67′)
    • Taione
    • Hufanga Try Substitution Out (60′)
    • Tu'ifua
    • Lilo

    Subs

    • Molitika Substitution In (61′)
    • Afeaki Substitution In (67′)
    • Taukafa Substitution In (65′)
    • Filise Substitution In (47′)
    • Havili Substitution In (67′)
    • Hehea Substitution In (68′)
    • Tongau'uhia Substitution In (60′)

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None