Scotland won this decisive match (45-17) against Tonga. The Thistle XV made up for their defeat in the first match.
This was the match both teams couldn’t afford to miss. In the event of a loss, the losing side could say goodbye to their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals of this World Cup. Gregor Townsend made four changes to his starting XV, notably putting winger Darcy Graham on the bench.
The start of the match was marked by intense action. It was the Scots who struck first through their hooker George Turner, who opened the scoring.
But the Tongans showed character and obtained penalties that allowed them to keep in touch. Their resilience was rewarded with a try from winger Kata. To everyone’s surprise, Tonga was ahead and leading by three points.
When the beast is wounded, it gets angry. The Scots got back in the game. They found the way to the Tongan in-goal area twice at the end of the first half. Scores from Steyn, Van der Merwe, and Darge enabled the Scots to lead (24-10) at halftime.
Encouraged by a stadium largely in their favor, Finn Russell and his teammates resurfaced and took the lead. Promising signs for the second half.
A One-Sided Second Half
At the restart, the Tongans surprised the Scots with a try from captain Tameifuna. However, the Scots remained in control of the match by imposing their game.
Due to a lack of control from both sides, the two teams neutralized each other, committing errors and losing possession.
Worn out by the end of the match, the Tongans conceded two tries. Darcy Graham sealed the Scottish victory with six tries on the scoreboard.
The Thistle XV will face the Romanians next week to keep their qualification hopes alive.
The Tongans will face the South Africans. This was the last match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup at the Allianz Riviera.
