Arona gets the farewell kick. He nails it. FULLTIME.
INTERCEPT! Brad Takairangi snatches the ball and hands it off to Tinirau Arona to score in his final game.
Katoa converts from hi front.
Talatau Amone gets in on the scoring.
Katoa back at the tee. Must've felt lonely going a few minutes without a conversion. He lines it up. Nails it.
Penisini just weaves past the defence and slams down his fourth.
Takairangi passes it forward to Iro.
CHALLENGE from Tonga about the kick and a knock on. INCONCLUSIVE CHALLENGE! Tonga will keep their use.
Now he will step up to kick his own score. He hooks it.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Yes they will! Steven Marsters just got the ball in before he hit the sideline.
VIDEO REFEREE! Steven Marsters might have broken the Cook Islands duck egg. Just checking the sideline.
PENALTY COOK ISLANDS! Late hit.
Esan Marsters kicks early in the count and earns a dropout.
Cook Islands go short.. and get a result!
Katoa curls over another.
Daniel Tupou finishes off a backline move and dances over.
Katoa from mid range. Converts.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! The knock back is cleared. Lolohea speeds downfield and it looked like a try to a forward but Penisini has snatched it.
VIDEO REFEREE! Penisini might've got a hat-trick now. We might go back and check the error from earlier.
Katoa misses. Also this is NOW Tonga's biggest win in International Mens Rugby League.
Lolohea finishes off another Tonga score. It was a wonderful break from Daniel Tupou who tried to find his support man who was run down.Tui had the easy work to scoot over.
Tesi Niu knocked on another good Tonga play. Feeling it might've come back for an obstruction.
We've had a few sets without points. That is your update for now.
Katoa kicks another.
Hat-trick for Tesi Niu! Moses Suli broke through and Niu finishes it off.
Katoa steps up to convert his own try. Nails it.
Tonga have picked up where they left off. They go the power play on last then it is swung inside for Isaiya Katoa to add his name.
KICK-OFF! Tonga launch it into the Middleborough sky and Cook Islands get first use.
Your updater has done some finger stretches and is back for the second half! Both teams are also back on the field. Will the Cook Islands find the line? or will Tonga rack up more points.
Katoa fittingly will have the final touch of the half. He has a mid range kick. Converts. HALFTIME.
Yes they can! Felise Kaufusi runs a good line and just walks over.
PENALTY TONGA! One final chance for something.
Tetevano loses it in contact.
PENALTY COOK ISLANDS! Offside.
Katoa from mid range. Two more.
Everything is coming off for Tonga! A kick to the right corner is tapped back, looked like everyone missed it, but Tui Lolohea stabs it ahead and chases through.
Katoa from in front, nails it.
GREEN LIGHTS.. PENALTY TRY! Viliami Penisini is tackled without the ball when he wasn't far from the line. He joins the double party.
VIDEO REFEREE! Hands from Keaon Koloamatangi who starts the move. Sione Katoa has eyes on the tryline then passes inside but his man might have been taken out. Klein called it a possible penalty try.
We are a broken record here. Katoa with the kick. As we pick up some fan noise on the mics. He might be getting a sore leg from all this kicking. He strides in, nails it.
Tonga are pouring it on! It is a break on the left side. The kick inside is swooped on by Tesi Niu for his second.
Cook Islands have gone short on a few kick-offs. It doesn't work this time either. Tonga on the charge.
Katoa from the right side. He has been busy thus far. Mid range kick. He curls it over.
Tonga are just styling now. A wonderful kick and Will Penisini scores!
PENALTY TONGA! They are just rolling now.
Katoa has the tee again. He raises the flags again.
Tonga are flexing their muscle now. Fonua-Blake pops up the offload and it eventually finds it way to Tesi Niu who strolls over.
Another easy kick for Katoa and he salutes.
If his first four-pointer was power that was more luck. The ball hit the ground and the Tinga powerhouse is there to scoot over.
PENALTY TONGA! High tackle.
Cook Islands get the six again klaxon and once again are attacking the Tonga line. The kick from Takairangi is a bad one and the follow up from Iro isn't much better.
Katoa has his second kick of the afternoon. Closer range this time and he slots it.
That was pure power from Jason Taumalolo. He just got up a full steam and just swatted away the Cook Islands defenders.
PENALTY TONGA for a strip.
Tesi Niu tries to sweep on a scrum play but spills it.
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! It is deemed to be playing at the ball by the video official. It will be NO TRY for a knock on.
VIDEO REFEREE! Paul Ulberg streaks away with the ball but we need to check how Tonga lost possession.
Sloppy end to the Cook Islands set there. The kick was touched back but there was nothing else on. Changeover.
PENALTY COOK ISLANDS! Another easy piggyback for the Cook Islands side.
PENALTY COOK ISLANDS! Offside.
Isaiya Katoa has the kicking duties here. He misses.
Tonga go the full length in the first set! Isayia Katoa who is back in the side slices through and positions Daniel Tupou for the score.
KICK-OFF! Here we go. Tonga with the first use.
Both the Pe'e and the Sipi Tau have helped raise the atmosphere here in Middlesborough. Now it's time for a big game in Group D.
Both teams are on the field and we're just hearing the wonderful anthems from each before we have the traditional dances and then it is rugby league time!
Good Morning! The middle game of Sunday World Cup action sees Tonga host Cook Islands! The big news for Tonga is the return of their captain, Jason Taumalolo, who is ready to rip and tear. Cook Islands will aim for the unlikely scenario of qualifying! Grab all your snacks and drinks and join us back here at half past the hour.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Ashley Klein
Touch Judges: Kasey Badger, Aaron Moore
Video Referee: Robert Hicks
TONGA MEN (92)
Tries: Daniel Tupou (2), Isaiya Katoa, Jason Taumalolo (2), Tesi Niu (3), Viliami Penisini (4), Tuimoala Lolohea (2), Felise Kaufusi, Talatau Amone
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Isaiya Katoa (14/16)
Penalty Goals:
COOK ISLANDS MEN (10)
Tries: Steven Marsters, Tinirau Arona
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Steven Marsters (0/1), Tinirau Arona (1/1)
Penalty Goals: