TNEWS TALANOA

Julian Linden at La Mosson
Thursday September 13, 2007
The Guardian

Tonga, in their opening match, humbled the United States 25-15 in Pool A here in Montpellier, effectively knocking the Eagles out of the competition. Having qualified for the tournament by winning one of the two repechage places, Tonga led 13-0 after an early try by Finau Maka but needed late scores by Joseph Vaka and Viliami Vaki to seal the victory.
They made a flying start, with Maka touching down in the second minute off the back of a rolling maul. Pierre Hola added the conversion and two penalties before Mike Hercus opened the Eagles' account with a penalty in the 32nd minute. Mike MacDonald crossed in the corner soon afterwards. Tonga extended their lead to 10 points when Vaka finished off a 60-metre counter-attack but again the Americans retaliated when Louis Stanfill was awarded a try by the video referee. Tonga called for fresh legs and Vaki responded by beating five defenders to score under the posts.

View full story: http://sport.guardian.co.uk/rugbyworldcu...46,00.html

iRB RUGBY WORLD CUP 2007 FRANCE POOL A: USA 15 TONGA 25
13/09/2007

USA coach Peter Thorburn refused to blame the World Cup schedule for his side's defeat to Tonga.
Thorburn said his team tired against the South Pacific islanders after playing their second game in five days yesterday but said it was America's mistakes, and not fatigue which, in the end, proved decisive.
Thornburn said: "People might think our performance against England had an effect, but we won't be using that as an excuse."
The Tongans led 13-0 after a try by Finau Maka but needed two late scores from wing Joseph Vaka and Viliami Vaki to seal the victory.
USA's Mike MacDonald and Louis Stanfill both scored in the second half but Tonga hit back on both occasions to record their first win at the World Cup since 1999.

Story: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby/2007...-19783434/

Thursday: September 13, 2007

Fiji and Tonga won their pool games in the Rugby World Cup overnight, but in the case of Fiji’s narrow victory over Japan, it was not without five heartstopping minutes at the end of the match.
Tonga defeated the United States in their Pool A match in Montpellier 25-15.
Fiji beat Japan 35-31 in Toulouse.
Planetrugby.com reports that the first half of the match Fiji-Japan match was riddled with errors, with Japan taking the attacking initiative for most of the first 40 minutes, and most points coming off the boot through penatlty goals.
Fijian Vilimoni Delasau was yellow-carded for an allegedly high tackle on his oppositie number.
With two minutes left on the clock and the game all but won for the Islanders, Japan scored a dramatic try. The conversion set up an edge-of-your-seat finale. After an agonising 24 phases of play Japan just couldn't break the Fiji's white wall of defenders. Referee Marius Jonker was playing five minutes into injury time and both sides were running on empty.
Eventually, a wayward pass was kicked on and duly gathered by a Fijian defender who ended the day's play by launching the ball into the stands.

Tonga’s victory over the United States will provide some concern for others in their pool, as America had tested the highly rated English side in an earlier match.
With Tonga leading 13-3 at half-time, the main difference between the two teams was speed to the breakdown, but Planetrugby.com reports that Tonga may look back on the fumbles that cost them a host of try-scoring opportunities and reflect that the win ought to have been more handsome.

http://worldcup.planet-rugby.com/Story/0...23,00.html

Story: http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2007...ugby-games

Malo Sangstar pea mo Tui 'ae ngaue lahi 'o lava ai ketau fiefia katoa he ngaue lelei kuo mo fakahoko. 'Oku tau fiefia kotoa pe he ikuna ma'ongo'onga 'ae timi 'akapulu 'a tonga. Fakatauange ke hokohoko atu 'ae ikuna moe lavame'a 'ae timi 'a Tonga.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! KAPAU FOKI NA'E KEI FAKALELE 'EHE KOMITI MANUMANU PA'ANGA MOTU'AA EEEEE, HE TE TAU SIO HA IKUNA??? MALO 'AUPITO KAUTANGATA E FAKA'UTUMAUKU 'AE NGAUE!!!