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 VODAFONE FIJI
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4 July, 2003
Tongans give Fiji a scare
By Jeremy Duxbury
Jim Love’s young Tongan team gave Fiji a lesson in mauling on Friday, pushing their hosts all the way to the final whistle but falling three points short in a 34-31 defeat.
While providing plenty of excitement for the 6,000-strong crowd that skipped work early to get to Prince Charles Park, Fiji’s performance asks several questions about their defensive fragility and stubbornness to play to their opponents’ strengths.
Within three minutes, Seru Rabeni made a break on halfway then flicked a pass to Aisea Tuilevu, who celebrated his return to Fiji by going in untouched under the posts.
On 20 minutes, Sami Rabaka, who had replaced the injured Jacob Rauluni minutes earlier, had an easy touchdown in the corner when Tonga forgot to leave anyone to cover the blindside at a scrum.
At this stage, it all looked too easy. "Keep the ball in the backs and Fiji shouldn’t have a problem."
But Mac McMallion’s men forgot the plot, and tried to take Tonga on around the rucks and mauls and came out second best time and again.
Tonga began to maul Fiji all over the park, scoring two soft tries to take the lead 15-12, and only Alifereti Doviverata’s try on half-time restored Fiji’s advantage.
Early in the second half, Sateki Tuipolotu kicked a penalty goal to make it 19-18 in Fiji’s favour, and the crowd realised that things weren’t going to be so easy for the home team after all.
Marika Vunibaka finished off a backline move in the 59th minute by going over in the corner, and Nicky Little converted an easy penalty goal to put the score out to 27-18.
Still waiting for Fiji to run the ball as should have been the plan, the crowd then saw Tuipolotu pick up another three-pointer as the Ikale Tahi piled on the pressure.
Tonga continued to keep the game tight, mauling 30 metres at a time with Fiji totally defenceless in repelling the charges. Tonga also dominated the line-outs and scrums.
"We really have to work on our defence around the maul," Mr McCallion conceded. "Tonga dominated us in that area. That was one of our weakest areas and we’ll have to work on that for next week."
"I’m a bit unhappy with our line-outs as well, but that’s another area we have to work on. They exposed us on the ground."
That said, the Fiji coach admitted he was "happy with the win, we scored five tries to four."
From a fortunate turnover 10 metres from the Fiji line, Vunibaka hoofed the ball upfield and off set Vilimoni Delasau on a foot race with Tongan replacement wing Kilikoni Bakewa. The ball bounced kindly for Delasau as the Sorokoba villager left Bakewa in his wake to score.
Bakewa holds a Fijian passport but lives in Tonga. He had flown over for the South Pacific Games rugby 7s, but Team Tonga decided not to risk him in the SPG because his eligibility was unclear. So he joined the Ikale Tahi instead.
So, at 34-18, it still appeared Fiji would cruise to a comfortable victory. But two tries in the last five minutes to hooker Viliame Ma’asi and flanker Stanley Afeaki brought Tonga to within three points. Had the conversions gone over, Tonga would have won.
As if happens, coach Love believed his team were robbed as referee Andrew Cole disallowed what seemed like a perfectly good try from Tuipolotu midway through the second half.
"The referee called a knock-on, but we couldn’t see anything wrong with it," Mr Love said. "When you look at the final score, you realise moments like that are the difference between winning and losing."
Mr Love was also unhappy that Seru Rabeni didn’t get a yellow card for a tackle after the whistle had gone. Tonga captain Inoke Afeaki was sin-binned for a late charge on Delasau after the winger had weaved his way 70 metres up the park leaving Tongans strewn on the ground behind him. And Fiji flanker Sisa Koyamaibole was also given 10 minutes to cool off towards the end.
"It shouldn’t matter whether the players are Fijians, Tongans or Samoans, they should be treated the same way they would be overseas," Mr Love said, implying referee Cole was being lenient.
Mr Love also explained that only seven members of his squad would play next week in Nuku’alofa.
"The others will all be local boys, so it’ll be more of an ‘A’ side," he said. "The squad has been together now for six weeks, so it’s time some of them went back to their clubs while they still have clubs to go back to."
Fiji fly out of Nadi on Tuesday for Friday’s game at Teufaiva Stadium.
Friday, 4 July, 2003
FIJI 34 TONGA 31
Prince Charles Park, Nadi
Half-time: 19-15
Referee: A Cole
Crowd: 6,000
VODAFONE FIJI: 15 Atonio Nariva, 14 Marika Vunibaka (Epeli Ruivadra 68), 13 Aisea Tuilevu, 12 Seru Rabeni, 11 Vilimoni Delasau, 10 Nicky Little, 9 Jacob Rauluni (Sami Rabaka 12), 8 Alifereti Doviverata (capt), 7 Kitione Salawa (Koli Sewabu 50), 6 Sisa Koyamaibole (yellow card 73-82), 5 Kele Leawere (Api Naevo 56), 4 Emori Katalau, 3 Joeli Veitayaki, 2 Isaia Rasila (Bill Gadolo 60), 1 Richard Nyholt
Tries: Tuilevu, Rabaka, Doviverata, Vunibaka, Delasau; Conversions: Little (3); Penalty goal: Little
IKALE TAHI TONGA: 15 Gus Leger (Pierre Hola 60), 14 Simana Mafileo (Kilikoni Bakewa 64), 13 John Payne, 12 Johnny ngauamo, 11 Tevita Tu’fua, 10 Sateki Tuipolotu (Willie Gibbons 78), 9 David Palu (Tony Alatini 72), 8 Benhur Kivalu, 7 Stanley Afeaki, 6 Inoke Afeaki (yellow card 42’-48), 5 Viliami Vaki (John Tuamoheloa 52), 4 Milton Ngauamo, 3 Heamani leavaka, 2 Ephraim Taukafa (Viliame Ma’asi 60), 1 Kisi Pulu (Sione Pale 76)
Tries: Palu, Lavaka, Maasi, S Afeaki; Conversion: Tuipolotu; Penalty goals: Tuipolotu (3)
Scoring sequence (Fiji first)
3 Mins Penalty goal Tonga, Tuipolotu – 0-3
4 mins Try Fiji, Tuilevu, conversion Little – 7-3
20 mins Try Fiji, Rabaka – 12-3
25 mins Try Tonga, Palu – 12-8
30 mins Try Tonga Lavaka, conversion Tuipolotu – 12-15
40 mins Try Fiji Doviverata, coversion Little – 19-15
Half time: 19-15
43 mins Penalty goal, Tonga Tuipolotu – 19-18
59 mins Try Fiji, Vunibaka – 24-18
62 mins Penalty goal Fiji, Little – 27-18
65 mins Penalty goal Tonga, Tuipolotu – 27-21
67 mins Try Fiji, Delasau, conversion Little – 34-18
35 mins Try Tonga, Maasi – 34-26
40 mins Try Tonga, S Afeaki – 34-31
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