South Africa edge closer to knockout stage with Tonga victory
MARSEILLE, FRANCE - OCTOBER 01: Canan Moodie of South Africa dives to score their third try during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Pool B match between South Africa and Tonga at Stade Velodrome on October 01, 2023 in Marseille, France. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
By Nick Powell, Online Editor
South Africa……………………..49
Tries: Reinach 5, Moodie 20, Fourie 32, Kriel 49, Le Roux 58, van Staden 63, Smith 80+1
Conversions: Pollard 6, 21, 33, 50; Libbok 59, 65, 80+2
Tonga………………………………..18
Tries: Tameifuna 38, Inisi 53, Pellegrini 73
Penalties: Havili 3
South Africa won an entertaining contest against Tonga to all-but secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup.
Tonga produced their best performance of the competition so far in Marseille, but were not able to resist the Boks power in a first half where Cobus Reinach, Canan Moodie and Deon Fourie crossed.
Ben Tameifuna gave them hope just before the break, but Jesse Kriel got South Africa their bonus point and put the game out of reach.
After Fine Inisi crossed for Tonga, Willie Le Roux and Marco van Staden went over for the Springboks, and there was time for the sides to exchange tries as Patrick Pellegirini and Kwagga Smith scored late on.
The result effectively sends South Africa through, although numerically they could still be eliminated in the unlikely event that Ireland were to score four tries against Scotland next Saturday while still losing that game by 21 points or more.
Both sides came into the game having performed slightly below their own pre-tournament expectations, with Tonga’s poor defence and tendency to make basic errors helping Ireland and Scotland keep them at arm’s length throughout those contests, and South Africa’s defeat to Ireland taking top spot in Pool B out of their hands.
Tonga started well and led through an early William Havili penalty, but that was to be their only reward from a dominant first twenty minutes.
While they had made five entries into the Springbok 22, South Africa had only entered theirs twice, but scored tries on both visits after Reinach quick-tapped and went over and Moodie also showed quick thinking as he reacted first to the ball coming off Vincent Koch’s shoulder before darting over under the posts.
Fourie was the beneficiary of a powerful South African lineout drive to get their third just after the half hour mark, but Tonga finally got their reward for a gutsy first period as Tamiefuna got on the scoresheet just before the break.
South Africa’s try shortly after half-time deserved a bonus point all of its own, and got them to the four try mark as a sharp lineout move was followed by good interplay across the team, rounded off by a powerful finish from Kriel.
Tonga produced a similarly nicely worked try with Havili finding Inisi with a quality over-the-top miss pass, but Pellegrini knocked on from a high kick and within a few passes Willie Le Roux effectively sealed the victory as he added South Africa’s fifth.
Despite being under pressure off the tee and kicking from the far left-hand corner, Mannie Libbok landed the conversion and then knocked over another after Le Roux set up van Staden to take the Springboks past 40.
Pellegrini redeemed himself with an outstanding solo try, as he charged onto his own kick and wrong footed Libbok, and Tonga looked for a while the most likely to score one more try and get a bonus point try of their own.
But it was South Africa who got the last word, as sustained pressure helped open up a hole for Kwagga Smith to get a seventh for the Springboks in overtime.
SOUTH AFRICA: Le Roux; Williams, Moodie, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi; Pollard, Reinach; Nche, Fourie, Koch; Etzebeth, Orie; Kolisi (captain), Vermeulen, Wiese.
Replacements: Van Staden, Kitshoff, Nyakane, Mostert, Smith, Hendrikse, Libbok, Kriel.
TONGA Piutau; Inisi, Fekitoa, Ahki, Tuitavuki; Havili, Pulu; Fisi’ihoi, Ngauamo, Tameifuna (captain); Fifita, Lousi; Halaifonua, Talitui, Paea.
Replacements: Moli, Koloamatangi, Apikotoa, Coleman, Vailanu, Takulua, Pellegrini, Taumoepeau
Star Man: Deon Fourie (South Africa)
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