Full Time
80:00
5:30am Wed October 19, 2022
Pool Matches - Week 1 - Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens - Crowd: 10409
788min

Conversion: Tonga
Kicked by Isaiya Katoa.

Katoa adds the extras

Tonga lead Tonga 24 - 18 Papua New Guinea
78min

PENALTY TONGA - PNG with the short kick off and it goes out on the full.

76min

Try: Tonga
Scored by Keaon Koloamatangi. Kick to come.

Hot potato footy by Tonga here and it looked futile the whole time, but then Siosiua Taukeiahogets the ball and grubbers into the PNG ingoal and Keaon Koloamatangi follows it through, regathers and scores. Who needs halves when you got props!

Tonga lead Tonga 22 - 18 Papua New Guinea
74min

Penalty Goal: Tonga
Attempted by Isaiya Katoa.

Katoa has a crack at penalty goal from a loooong way out and it the kick is just wide and a touch short.

Tied up at Tonga 18 - 18 Papua New Guinea
72min

PENALTY TONGA - Keaon Koloamatangi grounded after Ipape came in late and low. The Tongan forward lay down after the tackle and it took the ref a while to blow his whistle.

68min

Conversion: Papua New Guinea
Kicked by Rhyse Martin.

Martin from the sideline, lands his 41st consecutive career goal!

Tied up at Tonga 18 - 18 Papua New Guinea
67min

Try: Papua New Guinea
Scored by Daniel Russell. Kick to come.

From the back of the scrum, the ball is fired out to the left to Johnston who throws a perfect ball to Russell who dives over in the corner.

Tonga lead Tonga 18 - 16 Papua New Guinea
66min

SCRUM PNG - There's been a huge debacle at dummy half, 1 metre from the Tongan line by Tonga

65min

PENALTY PNG - PNG Challenging a knock on call against them. Challenge successful. Illegal strip by Luke

63min

What an offload Keaon Koloamatangi and then two passes later, what a hit by Rodrick Tai!

62min

SCRUM TONGA

61min

Fifita on a typical rampaging run gets into the PNG ingoal area, but Lam has wrapped up the ball and denied Fifita a try.

60min

Back to the director to check out a possible try to Tonga

59min

Olam loses the ball on halfway, late in the set.

58min

PNG defence has lifted a few gears the last 10 mins

57min

Tonga's attack got a bit sloppy there as a pass goes to ground and Lam cleans up, turning defence into attack.

55min

Lolohea's grubber is too cute and the Kumuls clean it up.

54min

SCRUM TONGA - Katoa tries to grubber through the PNG defence, but the Kumula knock it on while trying to diffuse it, 10m from the PNG line.

53min

After watching it a heap of times its deemed the bump is fine and that the ball grazed the sideline. No try. Surprising decision.

53min

Tai dives for the corner but as he puts the ball down, Koula hits him with what looks like a shoulder bump sorta thing. Off to the directors chair we go

45min

Tonga panicking a little where Haumole Olakau'atu offloads out the back and it beats both his outside team mates and goes into touch.

42min

Conversion: Papua New Guinea
Kicked by Lachlan Lam.

Lam converts his own try

Tonga lead Tonga 18 - 12 Papua New Guinea
41min

Try: Papua New Guinea
Scored by Lachlan Lam. Kick to come.

The Kumula get off to a flying start. Ipape makes a strong bullocking run and then gets a great offload away inside to Lam who races away to score under the posts.

Tonga lead Tonga 18 - 10 Papua New Guinea
40min

PENALTY TONGA - PNG didn't get the scrum set in time. There's confusion everywhere.

39min

SCRUM PNG - Sione Katoa drops the ball off the restart

38min

Conversion: Tonga
Kicked by Isaiya Katoa.

Katoa converts his own try

Tonga lead Tonga 18 - 6 Papua New Guinea
37min

Try: Tonga
Scored by Isaiya Katoa. Kick to come.

Suli steps inside the defence and through a huge gap, draws the fullback and then sends a ball to Katoa in support who races away to score

Tonga lead Tonga 16 - 6 Papua New Guinea
36min

Conversion: Tonga
Kicked by Isaiya Katoa.

Katoa converts from in front

Tonga lead Tonga 12 - 6 Papua New Guinea
35min

Try: Tonga
Scored by Moeaki Fotuaika. Kick to come.

On the next set Fotuaika runs onto an inside ball and steams over to score under the posts.

Tonga lead Tonga 10 - 6 Papua New Guinea
34min

Lolohea makes a break through the middle.

29min

PENALTY PNG - the Kumuls get a piggy back out of their own half again

26min

"I've seen all the available angles I need and I've made my decision" no try for Russell as two of his toes land on the sideline as he runs in to score.

26min

Off to the director to check on a possible PNG try

24min

SCRUM PNG - Sione Katoa very nearly snatches an intercept, 25m from the Tongan line

22min

PEANLTY PNG - much needed relief for the Kumuls who have been tied deep inside their own half for much of the last 10 mins

15min

Conversion: Tonga
Kicked by Isaiya Katoa.

Katoa converts from in front

Tied up at Tonga 6 - 6 Papua New Guinea
13min

Try: Tonga
Scored by Viliami Penisini. Kick to come.

Koula fields the kiuck from PNG 10m inside his own half, runs to the right side, puts on a huge step to beat Olam, then sends a great ball along to Penisini who then strolls in to score a great try

Papua New Guinea lead Tonga 4 - 6 Papua New Guinea
13min

Great defensive set by Tonga, forces PNG to kick from inside their own 20

7min

Conversion: Papua New Guinea
Kicked by Rhyse Martin.

Martin converts from in front

Papua New Guinea lead Tonga 0 - 6 Papua New Guinea
6min

Try: Papua New Guinea
Scored by Rhyse Martin. Kick to come.

Martin gets the first points of the game running onto a short ball from Laybutt.

Papua New Guinea lead Tonga 0 - 4 Papua New Guinea

Referees & scorers:

Referee: Liam Moore

Touch Judges: James Child, Belinda Sharpe

Video Referee: Ben Thaler

TONGA MEN (24)
Tries: Viliami Penisini, Isaiya Katoa, Moeaki Fotuaika, Keaon Koloamatangi
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Isaiya Katoa (4/4)
Penalty Goals: Isaiya Katoa (0/1)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA MEN (18)
Tries: Rhyse Martin, Lachlan Lam, Daniel Russell
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Rhyse Martin (2/2), Lachlan Lam (1/1)
Penalty Goals: