2021 RLWC (D) Wk1 - TON 24-18 PNG @ St Helens

[gUt]

I thought Tonga looked slightly heavy-footed and gassed at times. PNG just wore them down with constant hard running and effort plays. Tonga has class but will need to be at their absolute best to get over Aus/NZ and maybe England. Not exactly Nostrodamus here

 

[taste2taste]

Yeah, to beat a tier 1 team Tonga will have to play a perfect game and hope thier opposition has a poor game.

Tonga weren't helped with a few key withdraws due to injuries, most notably Staggs, also Pangia Jnr and Paeseka would have been huge off the bench.

 

[aqua_duck]

Yeah, to beat a tier 1 team Tonga will have to play a perfect game and hope thier opposition has a poor game.

Tonga weren't helped with a few key withdraws due to injuries, most notably Staggs, also Pangia Jnr and Paeseka would have been huge off the bench.

Their middle forwards aren't really the issue, AFB, Tatola, SST and Fotuiaka are as good as any middle rotation probably outside of NZ, and all are well ahead of Pangai Jr and Paseka is any pecking order. IMO I think Tonga lacked abit of polish on last tackle options and their edge defence really struggled abit with communication

 

[aqua_duck]

For those that saw the full game ( I only saw the crappy highlights they put on YouTube ) how did Tonga look ? Will they be able to put up a fight against England in the semis ? Or will they suffer the same fate as Samoa?

If Tonga had abit more quality in the key positions they could've easily put a score on, there were periods they were starting their sets from their own 30 and marching 40-50 up field but lacked the halves to really turn the screws on PNG, the last kick SST put in for Koloamatangi to score was easily the best attacking kick they put in all game. PNG lost the territory battle but I feel like they showed more attacking potency, their spine easily outplayed the Tongan spine and Olam was terrorising the Tongan right edge. Not many times you can say a winger would have decided a game but if Xavier Coates was playing I think they win that game

 

[jim_57]

Wolff is a decent coach too which helps. Brings a winning mentality and knows how to get a team organised.

Yeh swap Woolf & Parish and Samoa would be living up to their potential I reckon.

 

[BadnMean]

Honestly PNG robbed a bit there. PNG always seem to cop the rough end from the refs.

Very obscure but I remember a game 20 or so years ago when PNG came up with a great tactic vs Oz to kick early in the count when coming off their own line- with wingers planned & already flying positioned out wide- kicking to the deep corners for the ball to sit in.

They executed it twice- perfectly, the kick sat just in the field and they got their first to score. It was a great play and executed so well because even IF their winger had got there second they could have bundled whoever picked it up into touch.

The ref though just arrogantly assumed for PNG to get to the ball so far ahead of Oz they must have been offside. So he blew offisde and not a try. Replays showed they were onside by metres both times- just caught Oz with thir pants down. Out thought and out skilled. But refs too scared to believe it could happen within the rules. After all- not a play they ever saw attempted in the NRL (Winfield cup/ARL in those days).

Well after coming up with a great plan, executing flawlessly twice but being penalised for their trouble sintead of getting the try - then being scored against off the ensuing penalty you ciould see heads drop. Really pissed me off as commentators barely mentioned the blatant favouritism/prejudice behind the call. How could PNG possibly do that to Oz?

Anyway best game of the WC. PNG did very well and Tonga will be better for the run.

 

[BadnMean]

If Tonga had abit more quality in the key positions they could've easily put a score on, there were periods they were starting their sets from their own 30 and marching 40-50 up field but lacked the halves to really turn the screws on PNG, the last kick SST put in for Koloamatangi to score was easily the best attacking kick they put in all game. PNG lost the territory battle but I feel like they showed more attacking potency, their spine easily outplayed the Tongan spine and Olam was terrorising the Tongan right edge. Not many times you can say a winger would have decided a game but if Xavier Coates was playing I think they win that game

What is Tonga doing with the tallest player on the field by a whole foot and never once kicking to his wing in the air?

 

[BadnMean]

I thought Tonga looked slightly heavy-footed and gassed at times. PNG just wore them down with constant hard running and effort plays. Tonga has class but will need to be at their absolute best to get over Aus/NZ and maybe England. Not exactly Nostrodamus here

Tonga outweigh PNG by a large margin but the counter is that no PNG player has an ounce of fat, so if they can keep it quick and stay in the game then that can work to their advantage later in the halves, theoretically.

 

[This Year?]

Rugby league gods are absolute merkins.
When you look at the lineups for both sides you assume it would be an easy Tonga 13+ win.
Enter the Kumuls, who play with so much heart and any RL fan would love to see do well. They more than held their own against a team of behemoths and on any other day win that game.
Thoroughly enjoyed that contest and keep your heads up Kumuls, the gods will smile on you.

 

[aqua_duck]

What is Tonga doing with the tallest player on the field by a whole foot and never once kicking to his wing in the air?

yep, few times they actually went down a narrow short side down the right when it would've been easier to angle a cross field kick to Tupou

 

[Coastbloke]

I just watched this game again on Foxtel Mini (recorded) It deserved a 40,000 not 10,000.

Tell me again with a actual sensible answer how a Japan v Nambibia match gets 40,000 in a goddam RUWC..?!”?

 

[BadnMean]

I just watched this game again on Foxtel Mini (recorded) It deserved a 40,000 not 10,000.

Tell me again with a actual sensible answer how a Japan v Nambibia match gets 40,000 in a goddam RUWC..?!”?

Simply the reason that marketing/including rugby in Japan makes financial sense and pouring money into tiny pacific islands doesn't...

Japan has 125 million people, 120 000+ registered rugby players at 3000+ separate rugby clubs.

Even if only 2-5% of Japans population are interested in rugby (conservative estimate given their teams increasing success) that's still millions of fans- about as many rugby fans alone as the entire populations of Tonga & PNG put together.

All of which fans live in a wealthy 1st world country with the 3rd largest economy in the world. So it is easier to go watch their team, since most fans can afford it if they wish.