KEY POINTS:
Expect serious sparks to fly when buoyed-up Tonga tackle South Africa in Lens late tonight as both teams relish the physical side of the contest.
And who would have picked Tonga to sit second on the pool A table at this point, ahead of wretched England and their more highly fancied Pacific Island neighbours Samoa?
This World Cup has produced its share of surprises, more in terms of minnows giving leading teams a fright rather than a beating - but South Africa will be too strong tonight.
In their only previous test clash, in 1997, South Africa won 74-10 in Cape Town.
Even though several first choice players are sitting it out - Victor Matfield, Percy Montgomery, Bryan Habana and captain John Smit among them - the Springboks, to be led by No 8 Bob Skinstad, could run away with it in the second half. But expect bone-jarring collisions in the first half as the Tongans do what they do best.
If Tonga follows Samoa's lead from their clash with the Springboks, the forward exchanges should be pretty tasty in the opening quarter.
Consider what South African prop Gurthro Steenkamp said yesterday.
"They are a very physical pack," he said. "I think it is going to be important for us as a pack to take the game to them. It's important for us to dominate from the word go."
And this from halfback Ricky Januarie, who has his first cup start tonight.
"They are going to get stuck into us but we will get stuck into them as well. It's going to be a very physical battle."
After beating the United States, then Samoa - in what Samoan coach Michael Jones reckoned the best performance he's seen from Tonga - spirits are high, though they are without first-choice flanker Hale T'Pole.
The Southland loose forward is rubbed out for this match after being sent off against the Samoans, his spot going to Viliami Vaki.
He is one of four changes from the team who beat Samoa. Halfback Sione Tu'ipulotu is the third No 9 to start in three games at the cup; lock Emosi Kauhenga replaces veteran Inoke Afeaki; and Aleki Lutui, the old Bay of Plenty hooker now gone to Worcester, is in for Ephraim Taukafa.
Lutui has a place of honour in the Samoan party - he is the man to beat in the weightlifting department.
"No one can beat Aleki when we do planks," team physiotherapist Alison Donnan said yesterday of one discipline.
"Aleki always wins. We call him 'king of the planks'."
So far Tonga have more than justified their place at rugby's top table. They have fallen into that middle ground - not a heavyweight but better than the small fry.
And they're loving mixing it with the big boys.
