Kiwis too strong for Tonga, now face Samoa
- Dave Worsley
- Nov 3
- 2 min read
The Kiwis have confirmed their place in the Pacific Championships final with a dominating 40-14 win over Mate Ma'a Tonga at Eden Park.
After losing by a point last year, the home side turned on a powerful display to score seven tries, including a double to Dylan Brown, with five converted by winger Jamayne Isaako.
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Needing to win by 18 points to reach the championship final, Tonga were initially physical, but faded later.
Fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad moved to centre, replaced by Keano Kini at the back, with Casey McLean shifted out wide as a result of Sebastian Kris ruled out late before kickoff.
The first try came via McLean on the left sideline and found Kini with an inside pass to score from near their own goal-line.
From the kickoff, Tonga stoody off tackles and the Kiwis began to dominate possession and Brown sliced through the defence to score their second try from close range.
Isaako set up the next, when he charged down the right again, and Brown kicked left for McLean to gather and reach out for the tryline.
The Tongans were struggling to get possesion and then made an error when Isaiya Katoa put a goal-line dropout over the sideline, the Kiwis had another chance to add to their advantage and centre Matthew Timoko obliged.
With halftime close Tonga were on the scoreboard, when NZ second-rower Erin Clark was sin-binned for lying on the ruck. Katoa kicked the penalty and the Kiwis faced 10 minutes shorthanded to start the second half.
Ahead 24-2, the home side burnt off some valuable seconds, after Naufahu Whyte burst to within a few metres of the tryline and Tonga were penalised for offside. Isaako found the posts to restore the four-converted-tries margin and edge closer to Clark's return.
Tonga scored when the Kiwis knocked on in midfield and NZ Warriors second-rower Demitric Vaimauga rumbled over next to the uprights.
Their newfound momentum was handed straight back, when they allowed the kickoff to bounce dead. Camped on the line, the Kiwis enjoyed repeats sets, before Nicoll-Klokstad barged over for the try.
Papali'i was again denied, when he was held up over the line, but then laid on a second try for Brown, who chased a deflected pass to score.
Utility Te Maire Martin put hooker Phoenix Crossland across, but the Tonga fans that packed the stadium had something more to celebrate, when winger Daniel Tupou dived over in the corner.
New Zealand will now face Toa Samoa in the championship final at Sydney on Sunday.
