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Tonga player ratings vs Samoa | Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup
Tonga’s wait for a first victory in Samoa since 1980 continues as the Ikale Tahi fell 43 – 17 in Apia to open their account in the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup.
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Struggling to match the accuracy and intensity of their hosts outside of a twenty minute period in the second half, Tonga simply had no platform from which to challenge the Samoans.
Having conceded 29 unanswered points through the opening forty-five minutes, the Tongan coaching staff began to make wholesale changes which immediately paid dividends with the men in red scoring 17 points in a fifteen minute purple patch.
As quickly as this comeback arrived it fizzled out as Samoa readjusted with changes of their own to add some scoreline gloss with two further tries.
Here is how the Tongan players fared in their opening match of the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup.
1. Taukiha’amea Koloamatangi – 3
Just about held up his end of the bargain at scrum time, Kolomatangi had to deal with the power of his tighthead cork screwing the Samoan scrum. In open play the loosehead simply could not get into the match with just a single carry for two meters with six tackles made painting the picture of an effective outing.
2. Penisoni Fineanganofo – 4
Strong in the carry but hit and miss at line-out time, the hooker had an interesting battle with Samoa captain Theo MacFarland who consistently pinched balls as the front jumper. Ultimately he departed from the action in the 45th minute following a lost scrum and with a 67% win rate at line-out time.
3. Ben Tameifuna – 6
Work rate personified, the Bordeaux star was the standout operator in a pack that was otherwise under the cosh from the off. Utilising all of the power and technique that he has developed during his fourteen years in professional rugby to great effect, Tameifuna held the upper hand at scrum time in the first half. Defensively he was one of the few players who could stem the rapid stream of Samoan ball carriers with a few big time hits and a key turnover.
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4. Harison Mataele – 4
Going the full eighty, the lock had his moments but ultimately struggled to impact the match the intensity of his opponents. Completing five tackles, two line-out wins and zero carries is not quite the stat line he would’ve hoped for.
5. Onehunga Havili – 3
Plucked from the action in the 47th minute, Havili joined his lock partner in struggling to have a meaningful impact on proceedings. Completing six tackles with no carries or line-out wins is a disappointing return for a player who should’ve been one of Tonga’s top momentum generators.
6. Tupou Afungia – 5
Industrious and at times effective, Afungia got stuck in for eighty minutes with ten tackles, six carries and twenty-six meters made. Most of his good work came during the twenty minute golden period that his team enjoyed in the second half.
7. Siosiua Moala – 5
Second to Inisi on the tackle charts with twelve tackles made, the Castilla Y Leon Iberians backrow did his job for the best part of sixty minutes but didn’t quite get the impact moment he was searching for.
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8. Lotu Inisi – 7
Tonga’s two try hero brought his team back into the contest in the final twenty-five minutes. Taking three Samoan defenders over the line with him for his first score, the number 8 pounced from a well worked line-out on the Samoan five meter line. His second try was a moment of pure individual brilliance as broke through a tackle outside of the 22m line before outpacing the Samoan cover defence. Defensively the number 8 had a big showing with 19 tackles made, he will however be kicking himself for leaving a sizeable gap for Samoan scrumhalf Melani Matavao to scoot through to set up his team’s second try.
9. Manu Paea – 3
Pulling off a textbook 50:22 was the scrumhalf’s highlight of the day as he battled to get to get grips with the Samoan pack blasting through the ruck. This pressure combined with Samoa’s ability to get into the passing lanes saw Paea fling the ball into the wide channels more in hope than belief.
10. Patrick Pellegrini – 5
Seemingly man marked from the off by Samoan winger Tuna Tuitama, the flyhalf routinely received the ball under duress. This pressure combined with a lack of front foot ball with his team losing the ruck battle led to a challenging opening sixty minutes. When Tonga began to ring the changes most notably at scrumhalf with his future Moana Pasifika teammate Aisea Halo entering the fray, Pellegrini began to have more success against the Samoan rush defence.
11. John Tapueluelu – 5
Outside of a few basic handling errors which cost his side, the winger looked dangerous whenever he had half a chance. Closing his account with fifty-four meters from five carries with three defenders beaten, he looks to be one of Tonga’s true game breakers in the backline.
12. Fetuli Paea – 6
Fronting up defensively, Paea linked with Pellegrini in an attempt to counter the powerful Samoan ball carriers who routinely went route one into the ten channel. In attack, he was a willing carrier who straightened the line making fifty-three meters off ten carries.
13. Fine Inisi – 4
Struggling to contain the Samoan outside backs, Inisi was caught out on a handful of occasions as he ‘bit in’ on the inside runner leaving acres of space between himself and his winger. Offensively he simply didn’t get his hands on the ball enough to have a tangible impact on proceedings.
14. Esau Filimoehala – 3
Replaced in the 44th minute, the winger departed having spent most of his time back pedalling on defensive duty. Getting his hands on the ball just once for a 16 meter carry, he had scant opportunity to influence the game.
15. Nikolai Foliaki – 4
Dealt a rather difficult hand given the frequency with which Samoa went through the Tongan front line defence, the fullback was tested in every which way. Missing three of his ten tackle attempts is disappointing but not entirely his fault given he was often facing multiple Samoan attackers as the last line of defence.
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16. Solomone Aniseko – 6
Came on and shored up the Tongan line-out which ultimately led to their first try from a 5m line-out throw to the back which exposed a gap in the Samoan defence.
17. Jethro Felemi – 5
Bringing the energy that a team hopes for from it’s replacement loosehead, Felemi was quick to the breakdown which cut significantly cut down the frequency with which the Tongan ball carriers were found isolated.
18. Brandon Televave – 5
Picking up where Ben Tameifuna left off, the big tighthead carried three times for seventeen meters whilst maintaining his team’s upper hand at scrum time.
19. Tevita Ahokovi – 5
Brought a physical edge on his debut and certainly upped the ante around the breakdown when he entered the fray in the 47th minute.
20. Sosefo Sakalia – 5
One of those players who packs a punch the 32-year-old utility forward, got on the ball with three carries for fifteen meters but it was work at the breakdown that played a key role in Tonga’s uptick in attacking tempo.
21. Aisea Halo – 5
Significantly more accurate with his passing than Paea, the Moana Pasifika scrumhalf got the backline going with a clean service from the base of the ruck. By getting the ball to his carriers a second or two quicker, Halo ensured the Samoan defence were at times on the back-foot opening up gaps for his carriers to expose.
22. Tyler Pulini – 4
Operating as a second distributor alongside Pellegrini for the final thirteen minutes, Pulini had a few flash moments with getting the ball to the wider channels.
23. Sam Tuitupou – 6
Bringing a hard edge to a backline that had previously struggled to get over the gain-line, the debutant had a strong first showing in the red jersey.
