Slow start costs Canada against Tonga

A poor first half and five missed kicks at goal cost Canada victory as they fell to Tonga 26-25 in the opening match of the World Rugby u20 Trophy on Tuesday. The North Americans did well to recover from a 21-3 deficit but will be disappointed to let the game slip away given the number of scoring opportunities.

Canada captain Will Percillier’s radar was off as he missed two kickable penalties in the opening minutes. Instead it was Tonga who scored first on a move that started inside their own half. The bruising midfield combination of Malakai Uasi and Rodney Tongotea punched through with Filipe Samate on hand to take the offload in, the flyhalf converting his own try.

Percillier at last found home on his next kick, but the Tongans replied with two tries. Both were sparked by fullback Hateni Tafolo who caught Canada’s kick cover out of position. He regathered the first to score himself, and regathered the second with a quick tap from the resulting penalty putting Taniela Filimone in under the sticks.

The Canadians restored some hope late in the half. Their set piece – a point of strength throughout – earned territory and after a patient build-up Nick Carson rolled through a tackle to cross the line. Percillier added the extras to make it 21-10 at the break.

Tonga were on the front foot to start the second half. Tafolo and Samate each missed penalty kicks in quick succession, but the latter would make up for it with an individual try. Samate sold a huge dummy and stepped between two forwards, swerving out of the reach of the last man to slide in for the try.

With the gap now 16 points, Canada needed a break and they got one quickly. Samate was sent to the bin for a tip-tackle and within a minute Mike McCarthy was over after good work from the forwards. It would be slow going for the next 20 minutes, however, as more mistakes cost possession and a Samate penalty attempt shaved the outside of the uprights.

Another yellow card, this time to replacement prop Mafi Fifita, saw Canada given the advantage through the end of the game. With the Tongan forwards visibly tiring Canada brought on fresh legs and Reid Davis went over for a try. Guerschom Mukendi and Thomas Isherwood played key roles in a long passage that ended in a try for Will Matthews.

The angle proved too difficult for Isherwood to find the conversion, however, and Canada remained behind by a point with just a minute to play. They regained possession from the restart but the move fizzled out as they were driven over the touchline.

With four tries Canada will take two losing bonus points but must now look for help from elsewhere to have any hope of making the final. Next up is a match against Portugal on Saturday, while Tonga will square off against Hong Kong.

 

SCORING

TONGA 26
Tries – F. Samate 2 (10’, 45’), H. Tafolo (18’), T. Filimone (30’)
Cons – F. Samate 3/4 (11’, 19’, 31’)
Pens – H. Tafolo 0/1, F. Samate 0/2
Yellow cards – F. Samate (47’), M. Fifita (71’)

CANADA 25
Tries – N. Carson (40’), M. McCarthy (48’), R. Davis (75’), W. Matthews (78’)
Cons – W. Percillier 1/3 (40’), T. Isherwood 0/1
Pens – W. Percillier 1/3 (14’)

 

TEAMS

TONGA u20
1 Tevita Sole, 2 Falamani Mafi, 3 Lisivani Tuifua, 4 Tupou Afungia, 5 Aisea Maksini, 6 Asaeli Fanua, 7 Pita Halaifonua (capt.), 8 Lopini Kioa, 9 Siaosi Nai, 10 Filipe Samate, 11 Taniela Filimone, 12 Malakai Uasi, 13 Rodney Tongotea, 14 Lisiate Folau, 15 Hateni Tafolo

Replacements: 16 Mesake Toumohuni, 17 Mafi Fifita, 18 Apitoni Toia, 19 Otunuku Pauta, 20 Roy Lolesio, 21 Alan Tukuafu, 22 Tu’atao Savou, 23 Hesitoni Fa, 24 Solomone Fono, 25 Mordecai Pulu, 26 Lote Fakatou

CANADA u20
1 Josh Tweed, 2 Mike McCarthy, 3 Tyler Rowland, 4 Frank Carson, 5 Tyler Duguid, 6 Quentin James, 7 Will Matthews, 8 Nick Carson, 9 Will Percillier (capt.), 10 Brock Webster, 11 Jarvis Dashkewytch, 12 Quinn Ngawati, 13 Gabriel Casey, 14 David Richard, 15 Avery Oitomen

Replacements: 16 Jared Augustin, 17 Stefan Zuliani, 18 Guerschom Mukendi, 19 Reid Davis, 20 Thomas Isherwood, 21 Siaki Vikilani, 22 David Carson, 23 Lachlan Kratz, 24 Jack Carson, 25 Mason Flesch, 26 Antoine de la Fontaine

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Damián Schneider (UAR)