This Rugby League World Cup has featured a number of one-sided shellackings. Another was expected, but never quite took place, at the Totally Wicked Stadium on Monday night. Tonga got the victory we all expected against Wales, but not before going behind in the early stages. A pair of tries before half time killed off Welsh hopes but it was a spirited performance by the underdogs.
Wales started brilliantly. Unlike a number of the underdogs we’ve seen at this Rugby League World Cup, they managed to compete in the early stages. They pushed Tonga close to their own line on multiple occasions before finally breaking through.
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12 months ago Kyle Evans had never played professional rugby league. A year later and he’s a try scorer in a World Cup. Josh Ralph’s pass allowed him to let loose, showing tremendous pace to shock the favourites. Matt Fozard converted to put Wales in an unlikely lead.
The dream didn’t last. Daniel Tupou was the beneficiary of a scrum under the posts, surging down the left wing to score. Sio Siua Taukeiaho’s conversion went wide of the posts, keeping Wales narrowly ahead.
The lead didn’t last. David Fifita drove the ball over for Tonga, putting the favourites into the lead for the first time in the game. It was a heartbreaking gut-punch before the half time break for Wales, made worse by Lolohea. The pain didn’t stop there.
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With the last play of the first half, Keaon Koloamatangi was given too big a sight of the Welsh line. He went over with ease and Lolohea made it two from two from the kick. Wales had gone from in front to behind in a matter of minutes.
Tonga picked up where they left off in the second half. Wonderkid Tesi Niu went over and Lolohea added the two. The steely early resistance from Wales was being ground down as Tonga found their much-needed rhythm.
Tupou claimed his second off the back of a slick passing move. Tonga’s speed and positioning freed up space on the left which they exploited smartly. Lolohea’s conversion was extremely wayward, but that didn’t blunt the brilliance of the try.
We were denied a potential try of the tournament with Toutau Koula’s spectacular lunge try and keep the ball in play was deemed unsuccessful. Kolohea went over two passes later but this spectacular moment was sadly expunged by the video referee.
Tupou sealed his hat-trick with a less spectacular effort. But, given how hard it was to compete with Kouala’s heroics, it was no less impactful on the scoreline. The conversion was scuffed but it was immaterial with so little time left to play.
Tonga got their win on the night, but those Wales players and their fans leave with some moments to savour. This was far from a humbling, it was simply a case of class showing before all was said and done.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
