KEY POINTS:
The Junior All Blacks, after scoring 29 second-half points to beat a brave Tonga 39-13 in their Pacific Nations Cup rugby match in Nuku'alofa yesterday, now face their sternest test on Saturday - Australia A in Dunedin.
Behind 10-13 at halftime, with all of Tonga's points coming from fullback Fungakoto Lilo and with several New Zealand-based Tongan players performing strongly in the first half, the Junior All Blacks took control of the game in the second spell to score five tries.
Lock Ross Filipo, hooker Derren Witcombe, flanker Marty Holah, replacement midfield back Tane Tuipulotu, and wingers Scott Hamilton and Anthony Tuitavake scored a try each and Stephen Brett kicked a penalty and three conversions.
Lilo scored two tries and kicked a conversion when Tonga enjoyed a steady stream of possession from turnovers in the first half.
But the Junior All Blacks treasured possession through their forwards, led by Holah, in the second half and did not need to get out of second gear to win comfortably. They did enough without having to resort to a more confrontational game and avoided the big hits to score their third win from as many matches and maintain their lead in the competition.
They looked unsettled in the first half as an enthusiastic home side, with New Zealand-based players Aleki Lutui, Nili Latu and Hale T-Pole prominent, came from everywhere to turn over the ball several times in the rucks. But as the game wore on, a combination of grinding play from the New Zealanders and the tropical heat took its toll and slowed the home side.
"We expected them to come in with a lot of emotion and be very physical early," Junior All Blacks co-coach Ian Foster said. "We eliminated the errors and focused a bit more on our set pieces and phase play in the second half."
Lilo came into a backline attack after a lineout to score the first try in the 12th minute to the delight of the 5000-strong Teufaiva Stadium crowd as the New Zealand defenders were still trying to find their feet.
Brett kicked his only penalty goal in the 16th minute but three minutes later Lilo shocked the New Zealanders when he regathered the ball after a high kick to score his second try.
That sparked the New Zealanders into putting more thought into their game. They tightened up, eliminated 50-50 passes and supported the ball carrier, which resulted in fewer mistakes. Filipo scored from a lineout drive and Brett converted to make it 10-10 but the Tongans still led at halftime after Lilo kicked a penalty.
It took just three minutes after the break for the Junior All Blacks to stamp their authority on the game, with Witcombe crossing. Tonga were pressured into error and their cause was not helped when captain Latu was sinbinned. Holah, Tuipulotu, Tuitavake and Hamilton then crossed the tryline at regular intervals to shut out the home side.
The Junior All Blacks, with at least 10 former All Blacks in the side, beat Samoa 31-10 in Apia and Fiji 57-8 in Suva on this trip to the three major South Pacific islands.
- NZPA
