TONGA
No.Name
15Vunga Lilo, -
2
14David Halaifonua, -
13Siale Piutau, -
12Sione Piukala, -
11Telusa Veainu, -
T
2
10Latiume Fosita, -
T
9Sonatane Takulua, -
1Soane Tonga'uiha, -
2Aleki Lutui, -
3Sila Puafisi, -
4Hale T-Pole, -
5Joe Tuineau, -
6Sione Kalamafoni, -
7Jack Ram, -
T
2
8Viliami Ma'afu, -
Replacements
16Paula Ngauamo, -
17Tevita Mailau, -
18Halani 'Aulika, -
19Lua Lokotui, -
20Opeti Fonua, -
21Samisoni Fisilau, -
22Kurt Morath, -
23William Helu, -

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Sandy Park
11:45 AM, September 29, 2015
Attendance: 10,103
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'From ESPN's Tristan Barclay in Exeter - For a 10-minute stretch of that second half, Namibia looked as though they might improbably make a comeback against a Tonga side that looked beyond reach. They had the Pacific Islanders on the ropes with some hard running in the loose, and I could see a few of Tonga's big men puffing hard at each break in play. But in the end, Tonga were just that bit more experienced and talented, sealing a bonus-point victory. I should say, the crowd here at Sandy Park have been excellent in Exeter's first ever World Cup match. They took both sides to their hearts and were rewarded with a great game of rugby.
81'35-21 End of second half
80'It's not to be for Namibia - the ball is eventually knocked forward from the scrum and Jackson calls for full-time. Enthralling game at Sandy Park.
79'Burger puts his body on the line once again - how often do we see that? Good refereeing after Jackson sees Burger cannot get loose from the tackle. Scrum.
78'Incidentally, no Tongan has ever scored a hat trick at the World Cup ... both Ram and Veainu have two tries each in this game.
77'The lineout is dropped forward - and Tonga have a scrum on their own five-metre line. Referee awards the penalty with Burger deemed offside. Kicked into touch - one final chance for Namibia to create history?
75'The maul is stopped but Namibia work it across ... they've got a man over ... dropped! The pass is slightly behind. Referee Jackson pulls it back for an earlier infringement. Kotze goes for the corner again - another try and conversion will give them two losing bonus points - which would be their first ever points at a World Cup.
74'Substitute on - Louis van der Westhuizen , Namibia
74'Player substituted - Torsten van Jaarsveld , Namibia
73'Namibia will have a penalty - referee Jackson goes to the TMO, who rules that Tevita Mailau made a high tackle on Louis van der Westhuizen. No surprises here as Kotze goes for the corner...rolling maul time.
73'35-21 Penalty goal - Kurt Morath , Tonga
72'Easy as you like for Morath - with that successful penalty he becomes Tonga's all-time leading points scorer with 318, overtaking Pierre Hola's previous total of 317.
72'Substitute on - Darryl De La Harpe , Namibia
72'Player substituted - Johan Deysel , Namibia
72'Player substituted - Aranos Coetzee , Namibia
72'Substitute on - AJ de Klerk , Namibia
71'Player substituted - Eneill Buitendag , Namibia
71'Substitute on - Damian Stevens , Namibia
70'Tinus du Plessis gives away a penalty in the maul - Kurt Morath will have a go at goal.
69'Namibia are piling the pressure on here - the Tongans are looking ragged! Have injuries scuppered them? The crowd urge the Welwitschias forward, but Kotze finds himself in a little bit of trouble before Johannes Coetzee gives away the penalty at the breakdown.
68'
68'Player substituted - Renaldo Bothma , Namibia
68'Substitute on - Tinus du Plessis , Namibia
68'32-21 Conversion - Theuns Kotze , Namibia
67'Similar kick from Kotze - wonderful effort from just the touchline.
67'32-19 Try - Jacques Burger , Namibia
66'Burger has been sensational - he drives over for what is a carbon copy of his first try. Delight in the Namibian box! Frankie Fredericks, Namibia's only Olympic medallist, is waving his flag with joy.
65'Namibia have done it! They've scored three tries in a World Cup match for the first time in their history!
65'Substitute on - David Philander , Namibia
65'Player substituted - Johan Tromp , Namibia
64'Jack Ram guilty of offside approaching the Tonga 22 and Burger issues Kotze to kick for the lineout...
63'Tonga look to make their dominance pay, but Viliami Ma'afu drops the ball forward and they give away the penalty. Exeter's home hero Chrysander Botha clears with a massive kick.
62'Opeti Fonua finds some space in the middle - he is absolutely humongous. The Tongans have been superb - 586 metres gained so far. Namibia have missed 32 tackles.
61'
60'Namibia concede the penalty in the scrum - Tonga have been so dominant there.
60'Substitute on - William Helu , Tonga
60'Player substituted - Vunga Lilo , Tonga
60'Substitute on - Halani 'Aulika , Tonga
60'Player substituted - Sila Puafisi , Tonga
60'Player substituted - Soane Tonga'uiha , Tonga
60'Substitute on - Tevita Mailau , Tonga
59'We're going back to the lineout - the TMO has intervened, which is fine as it came in the last two phases of play. Tjuee Uanivi did in fact knock on from the initial lineout and we've got a Tonga scrum on the five metre mark.
58'Namibia have a sniff of a third try. The ball pings about but Jackson rules there is no knock on - the blue shirts advance but are denied a yard short by some brilliant Tongan defending. They rework the ball to Kotze, who very nearly gets through, before the brilliant Ram overturns to save his side.
58'Player substituted - Siale Piutau , Tonga
58'Substitute on - Kurt Morath , Tonga
58'Player substituted - Sonatane Takulua , Tonga
58'Substitute on - Samisoni Fisilau , Tonga
57'Break in play for a substitution. Sione Piukala is getting treatment after taking a big knock from tackling Namibia number eight Botha.
55'Lilo's conversion attempt is another shocker, though. This one starts right and hooks even further right. Like my golf drive.
55'32-14 Try - Telusa Veainu , Tonga
54'TRY! Telusa Veainu has a brace! From the resulting lineout win, Tonga keep the ball moving at the breakdown. Ram sends a long pass to Veainu on the far left and the wing sprints clear to ground. He only needs half a yard.
53'A second lineout after Namibia win the pill back. But Aleki Lutui reads it perfectly to overturn - and Tonga have a chance to move it out wide left...
52'Telusa Veainu has been brilliant today - some nimble footwork buys Tonga some space and they earn the penalty. Kicked into touch.
51'Tonga on the attack and making ground with a string of reverse inside passes - but they again make the error at the breakdown and Jackson is quick to ping the Pacific Islanders. Namibia 13 points behind with 30 minutes left - could they...?
50'Namibia have never scored three tries in a Test match before...
49'
49'27-14 Conversion - Theuns Kotze , Namibia
49'27-12 Try - Jacques Burger , Namibia
48'Burger has the ball in the rolling maul ... And he's over! We're going to the TMO but referee Jackson says he could see the ball grounded on the try line. TMO finds no reason to overrule and Namibia have their second try of the match! Kotze with a superb kick from inside the touchline to add the extras. Beautiful effort.
47'Penalty Namibia after Tonga fail to roll away from the ruck. Kotze kicks marvellously into touch and the blue shirts have a lineout on the five line...
47'Substitute on - Paula Ngauamo , Tonga
47'Player substituted - Aleki Lutui , Tonga
46'That's only the second time in World Cup history that Tonga have scored four tries - the last time came against the Ivory Coast in 1995.
45'Lilo's conversion is wide, however. Not been a great day for him with the boot.
45'27-7 Try - Jack Ram , Tonga
44'TRY! Tonga have their bonus point. Jack Ram has a second. Telusa Veainu catches a long, high kick and runs from inside his own half through the massive gaps in the Namibian defence. He offloads to Ram, who sidesteps a final tackle and dives over.
43'Hale T-Pole has started this second half well, with a big burst through the middle - but he looks in trouble here. from the resulting lineout, he is lifted high in the air but all of his weight comes crashing down on his ankle, which turns under pressure. Looks a nasty one.
43'Player substituted - Hale T-Pole , Tonga
43'Substitute on - Lua Lokotui , Tonga
42'Scrappy start to the second half as Lilo hammers the ball into touch to give away the lineout. Namibia, though, give the ball straight back and Lilo powers through to gain some ground towards the Namibian 22. However, it's worked to the left side and Telusa Veainu is guilty of a forward pass.
41'Player substituted - Janco Venter , Namibia
41'Substitute on - PJ van Lill , Namibia
41'+122-7 End of first half
40'This is Tonga's biggest World Cup half-time lead since 1995 - will they go for broke in the second period? Namibia fly-half Theuns Kotze get us back underway at Sandy Park.
40'Tonga may have a fourth try and a bonus point - we're going to the TMO... NO! Ruled out. Telusa Veainu with a ridiculous pick up and finish in the right corner - a real thing of beauty. However, his left hand was in touch as he grounded the ball - the rest of him was in the air - and referee Jackson rightly rules it out. So unlucky, what a finish that would have been. And that's half-time!
40'Player substituted - Casper Viviers , Namibia
40'22-7 Start of second half
40'Substitute on - Johnny Redelinghuys , Namibia
39'Final play before the half-time whistle - and we'll have a Tonga scrum nearing Namibia's 22.
37'Lovely run from Theuns Kotze sets up a free-flowing Namibia move down the left side. Russell van Wyk eventually runs into trouble and the ball from the resulting breakdown is knocked forward. Tonga breathe in relief.
35'22-7 Penalty goal - Vunga Lilo , Tonga
34'Brief stoppage in play while Namibia lock Janco Venter receives treatment. Tonga have a penalty and Lilo further extends their lead to 22-7. Namibia have given away nine penalties so far...
33'Player substituted - Sione Kalamafoni , Tonga
33'Substitute on - Opeti Fonua , Tonga
32'New Leicester signing Opeti Fonua is on for Gloucester's Sione Kalamafoni - looks like a precautionary substitution.
31'Scrappy five minutes with penalties given either side. There has been a sudden lull in standard after a frantic opening 25 minutes.
29'Botha was also clattered by David Halaifonua in the aftermath of that run. Seriously big hit.
28'Renaldo Bothma sprints from the back of the scrum to gain some ground over the halfway line - but his pass to Johan Tromp lacks accuracy and the winger drops into touch. Namibia not out of this yet.
26'19-7 Conversion - Vunga Lilo , Tonga
25'Much better kick from Lilo, no problems with that conversion. Tonga look a different side to the one that lost to Georgia. They lead 19-7.
25'17-7 Try - Latiume Fosita , Tonga
24'Classy try from Fosita - Joe Tuineau looks to dive under the posts before smartly offloading for Fosita, who cruises through with a lovely finger-tip pick up. Four tries in 24 minutes, fantastic start in Exeter.
23'Joe Tuineau thunders down the right wing and looks to be in - but is stopped in his tracks by a brilliant Namibian tackle. However, referee Jackson pulls it back for an earlier infringement - Tonga kick into touch and take the lineout on Namibia's five.
20'Kitshoff pinged for tackling off his feet and Tonga have a penalty central to the posts, about 30 metres out. However, Lilo shockingly puts it wide. Still 12-7 in Exeter.
19'12-7 Conversion - Theuns Kotze , Namibia
18'Superb kick from Kotze and the gap is down to five points.
18'12-5 Try - Johan Tromp , Namibia
17'TRY! Brilliant work from Tjiuee Uanivi sets free Johan Tromp to dive over the line.
14'Massive shout for a penalty try for Namibia after Van Wyk is held up on the line, before the ball is seemingly slapped away intentionally on the intercept. Nothing given though.
12'12-0 Try - Jack Ram , Tonga
11'Brilliant from Tonga - very quick ball from the lineout and Jack Rum sneaks from around the back and powers towards the line. Tackles come in, but they were never going to stop him. Conversion attempt is wide, so it stays 12-0.
10'Another scrum - and Namibia prop Johannes Coetzee is penalised. Namibia really struggling in the set piece so far. It's pumped into touch for a lineout on Namibia's 22.
9'First scrum of the evening - and it breaks.
7'7-0 Conversion - Vunga Lilo , Tonga
6'Vunga Lilo with a nice kick to add the extras. That'll settle any early nerves.
6'5-0 Try - Telusa Veainu , Tonga
5'TRY! Telusa Veainu breaks clear and is bundled over the line - it goes to the TMO, who decides all was legal and there was no double movement.

4'Frantic stuff in Exeter - Tonga break before Namibia turn over, with smart hands from both Renaldo Botha and Johan Deysel allowing wing Russell van Wykthe to open the taps before eventually succumbing to a big challenge inside the Tongan half. More of this please.
3'Solid lineout from Tonga and it's worked across the field to Vunga Lilo - the fullback's grubber is too short though and Namibia overturn.
2'Early pressure from Namibia, but it comes to nothing. Jackson calls penalty for a blue offside, Tonga clear into touch to regroup.
1'From ESPN's Tristan Barclay at Sandy Park: Tonga are one try away from equaling their World Cup record of four in a match and I wouldn't bet against them securing that early in the second half - they came mighty close via Telusa Veainu on the stroke of half-time. Namibia are putting up a full-blooded fight, but they lack any real quality in the set piece. That's allowing Tonga to dictate proceedings, with a kick to the corner almost always resulting in a try-scoring opportunity. Where Namibia do look dangerous is in broken play. They have been catching Tonga off-guard with turnover ball and the Pacific Islanders are struggling to get their defence in order in the loose. What's more, Tonga are an elderly side, with an average age over 30, so fatigue could start to play into Namibia's hands.
1'Tonga's Fosita get us underway at a fully packed Sandy Park in Exeter. Immediate penalty given by referee Glen Jackson - and Namibia kick into touch.
1'Hello and welcome to ESPN's live text commentary on Tuesday's World Cup clash between Tonga and Namibia. Can Namibia score their first ever tournament victory or will the Pacific Islanders prove too strong in the Pool C clash in Exeter?
1'0-0 Start of first half

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