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 romp to vital bonus-point victory over Tonga
Scotland romped to the bonus-point victory they required over Tonga at Stade de Nice to kick-start their World Cup campaign and keep alive their hopes of qualification for the knockout phase.
The pressure was on Gregor Townsend’s side after losing their first game to South Africa and then seeing Ireland defeat the Boks on Saturday, a scenario that left them with no margin for error and in need of big victories from their remaining fixtures.
The Scots kept their composure, however, and showed their attacking quality to get themselves a foothold in the top-heavy pool B by recording a 45-17 win over Tonga, with their seven tries all scored by different players.
Scotland romp to vital bonus-point victory over Tonga
Scotland showed their attacking quality to get themselves a foothold in the top-heavy pool B.
Scotland beat Tonga to keep quarter final hopes alive
That just about does us for our coverage of Scotland’s win over Tonga, but there’s more rugby to come tonight, of course, with Wales and Australia in Lyon for a vital Pool C encounter. After defeat to Fiji last weekend, the Wallabies have to win, but rumours are already swirling over Eddie Jones’s future after a report this morning that the head coach held exploratory conversations about a possible return to Japan just days before this tournament got underway.
My colleague Ben Fleming will be your guide for that one, while Luke Baker has hopped down from Paris to Lyon to provide on-the-ground updates. Will Warren Gatland land a knockout blow on one of his favourite sparring partners?
Wales v Australia LIVE: Rugby World Cup 2023 latest updates
Eddie Jones’ Wallabies will be out of the World Cup should they lose to Warren Gatland’s Wales
Scotland beat Tonga to keep quarter final hopes alive
“We’ve been based here for a few weeks and it’s an amazing night seeing our fans here - we really enjoyed it tonight,” Duhan van der Merwe tells the BBC.
“To be honest, it was tough out there. The first half hour, I’ve never been hit like that before. The body will be sore tomorrow. With boys like Finn, Sione and Blair giving me opportunities, it’s amazing.”
FT: Scotland 45-17 Tonga
Confirmation has come through that Vaea Fifita’s yellow was upgraded to a red in the bunker, by the way.
FT: Scotland 45-17 Tonga
We should note that Jamie Ritchie did not return after leaving the field for a head injury assessment after Afusipa Taumoepeau’s tackle. That’s one to monitor this week - best wishes to the Scotland captain.
FT: Scotland 45-17 Tonga
As for Tonga, you’d say that was an improvement over their performance against Ireland, but the defensive issues haven’t gone away. Two shoulder-to-head contacts won’t please Toutai Kefu either - Afusipa Taumoepeau was pretty fortunate, you’d say, that his high tackle was upgraded to a red and the nature of Vaea Fifita’s challenge means that there is surely a good chance a ban is incoming for the back rower.
Just the small matter of South Africa up next for Kefu’s side. Far from ideal. That’s in Marseille next Sunday, a day after Scotland vs Romania in Lille.
FT: Scotland 45-17 Tonga
A few moments of concern for Gregor Townsend, but, in the end, a pretty solid all-round performance from Scotland, keeping their last eight hopes alive. The bonus point try arrived before half-time and from there it was just a case of avoiding a total collapse, which the Scots did in typically fun fashion as Duhan van der Merwe, Blair Kinghorn and Darcy Graham strutted their stuff in wide channels. Finn Russell pulled the strings typically effectively - on to Romania they go...
TRY! SCOTLAND 45-17 Tonga (Darcy Graham try, 83 minutes)
A wondrous weave from Darcy Graham as Scotland have the final word!
Tonga get their lineout all wrong and Finn Russell fancies one last dance. Graham crabs infield off his right wing as he spots space close to a ruck, trusting the sharp George Horne to have spied it too and connecting with his fellow replacement.
There’s still all of 60 metres to cover, but Graham can do that in a flash, putting Charles Piutau in bother with snaking hips and then out-pacing a weary chaser to the line. Over goes the conversion, and that’s that!
Scotland 38-17 Tonga, 81 minutes
A Tonga knock on gives Scotland one last shot. Blair Kinghorn and Finn Russell combine again but the former is felled, and Tonga win a breakdown penalty.
Scotland are then marched ten yards further back for a bit of backchat. Coventry’s Patrick Pellegrini, on for a World Cup debut, kicks beyond halfway.
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