Tonga bounced back from a surprise defeat to Canada with an 18-9 triumph over the United States on Friday in rugby’s Pacific Nations Cup.
Tonga, who fell 36-27 in Ontario last Saturday to unbeaten Canada, were without three players suspended by the International Rugby Board: fullback David Halaifonua, prop Eddie ‘Aholelei and centre Siale Piutau.
Even in their absence, the US could not control a physical Tongan side, lifted by two tries from Sione Piukala.
Chris Wyles gave the hosts their first lead of 2013 with a penalty kick in the fourth minute – the first of his three penalties that accounted for all of the Americans’ points.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Tonga’s Viliami Hakalo’s penalty three minutes later knotted the score.
In the 15th, Tonga made a nice switch to Piukala who had no trouble dotting down between the sticks for the first try of the match, with Hakalo kicking the conversion to give the visitors a 10-3 lead.
Toby L’Estrange caught the Tongan defence off guard in the 18th minute, getting the ball to Andrew Suniula who drew a penalty for Wyles to convert and cut the deficit to 10-6.
The US pulled closer in the 31st after Tonga’s captain Nili Latu made a high tackle on Brian Doyle and received a yellow card, with Wyles kicking the penalty to make the score 10-9.
The French connection of Takudzwa Ngwenya and Scott LaValla, who each play in France’s Top 14 with Biarritz and Stade Francais respectively, almost created the Eagles’ first try of 2013 before the end of the half, but Ngwenya’s pass was too high for LaValla to reach.
Two minutes into the second half, however, the Eagles were dealt a blow when Piukala added his second try.
Latu converted another penalty to stretch Tonga’s lead to 18-9, and an escalating array of mistakes prevented the US cutting into the margin.
Pacific Nations Cup action switches back to Japan, where the home team play Canada and Fiji take on the US on Wednesday.
Japan then play the US on Sunday and Tonga line up against Fiji.