Scotland v Tonga LIVE: Rugby World Cup 2023 result and reaction as Scots claim crucial win
Scotland 45-17 Tonga: Gregor Townsend’s side kept their quarter-final hopes alive with a bonus-point victory
Scotland got their Rugby World Cup campaign back on track with a bonus-point 45-17 victory over Tonga in their clash in Nice on Sunday to keep their quarter-final hopes alive in Pool B.
The win may have come at a cost too with captain Jamie Ritchie forced off in the first half following a blow to the head in a tackle from Tongan winger Afusipa Taumoepeau, who was perhaps fortunate to see the colour of his card remain yellow.
Wingers Duhan van der Merwe and Kyle Steyn each crossed for tries, along with George Turner, Rory Darge, George Horne, Blair Kinghorn and Darcy Graham, as Scotland used the width of the field and space left by some poor Tonga defending.
The Pacific Islanders put in huge hits in the tackle, but also showed they have an enterprising attack at times and managed tries through Solomone Kata and giant prop Ben Tameifuna.
Number eight Vaea Fifita was the second Tongan player to receive a bunker yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Finn Russell with three minutes remaining, with the sanction subsequently upgraded to a sending off.
Scotland 17-10 Tonga, 40 minutes
Why didn’t Ben White give it? Advantage is coming for Scotland and Finn Russell is screaming for it, three or four blue shirts outside him as his scrum half waits for the ball to emerge. When it comes, though, White dummies and darts himself, slamming into a Tongan bollard, and when stand-in scrum half Rory Sutherland regenerates possession, Tonga’s defence had pushed wide enough to force Duhan van der Merwe into touch.
Back for the penalty. Scotland take the scrum option and draw another infringement out of the Tonga eight.
Scotland 17-10 Tonga, 38 minutes
Tonga’s 14 men do a good job of defending Scotland’s next attacking opportunity, Duhan van der Merwe snared at the shoelaces and then pulled back from behind after getting back to his feet to go again.
Scotland play for territory, turning Tonga with only one defender in the backfield. Charles Piutau is that man and tries to extricate himself with typically quick footwork, but is thrown out of play by Scott Cummings. A good chance of a bonus point before half-time for Scotland, here.
Scotland 17-10 Tonga, 36 minutes
Ritchie is replaced by Matt Fagerson with the Scotland captain righly off for a head injury assessment. His charges can’t make the most of their opportunity up the left, though, running out of room and knocking on seven metres or so short.
YELLOW CARD AND ON REVIEW! Scotland 17-10 Tonga, 34 minutes
It meets the yellow card threshold - there’s a bit of a dip from Ritchie but the foul play review officer may well rule that a red, shoulder direct to head with significant force and limited mitigation. Afusipa Taumoepeau goes to the sin bin for now - remember, they have eight minutes to decide whether to upgrade the sanction or not.
Scotland 17-10 Tonga, 33 miutes
Tonga get into Scotland’s 22 soon after the restart but cough up possession, and off Scotland go, feeling it now and prepared to play wide even deep in their own territory. A wide pass doesn’t quite find the intended recipient but the bouncing ball is effectively corralled, and off they go up towards halfway.
Ouch! Jamie Ritchie takes a shoulder to the head and I reckon Afusipa Taumoepeau is in trouble here...
TRY! SCOTLAND 17-10 Tonga (Kyle Steyn try, 31 minutes)
Another Scotland try!
Ooh, Finn Russell is starting to show off his range. His pass for Blair Kinghorn in the build-up to the last try was a beauty off his right hand, and this one is just as good off his left, three Tonga defenders left with scorched eyebrows as they watch it go across their faces. Kyle Steyn is the recipient and the Glasgow Warriors captain shrugs off a tackler to get to the line.
Another miss from the tee from Russell.
Scotland 12-10 Tonga, 29 minutes
There’s been a good tempo to this game, with both sides looking lively enough in attack. Tonga’s latest effort is ended by a clearout away from the ball from openside Sione Havili Talitui on Rory Darge. Scotland kick the penalty down to about 15 metres out.
TRY! SCOTLAND 12-10 Tonga (Duhan van der Merwe try, 26 minutes)
That’s what Scotland can do!
A nicely constructed score from Scotland, though Tonga will be disappointed with how easily they were opened up. Sione Tuipulotu finds Finn Russell with an accurate pull-back pass and Solomone Kata is too narrow as the edge defender, allowing Russell to fizz one of his trademark flat passes and put an onrushing Blair Kinghorn into space. Draw, pass, try - Duhan van der Merwe scores untouched.
Scotland 7-10 Tonga, 24 minutes
Russell thus kicks away slow ball, with Kyle Steyn chasing well and given a rather ugly shunt by William Havili as the Tonga fly half arrives. TMO Ben Whitehouse calls down to referee Karl Dickson, who awards a penalty; Scotland return to Tonga’s 22.
Scotland 7-10 Tonga, 23 minutes
Rory Sutherland hasn’t perhaps been at his best since becoming a Lions tourist two years ago, but he shows a bit of the dynamism in the loose that so caught the eye during the first half of this cycle, spinning away from a couple of Tonga defenders. Scotland’s inaccuracy remains the problem, though, Finn Russell trying to arc into space but the pass pulled back too far behind the fly-half.
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