Samoa narrowly edge out Tonga
A hastily assembled Samoan side snatched a narrow 24-23 win over Tonga in their opening Pacific Nations Cup match in Apia on Saturday.
With most of the squad playing either in the northern hemisphere or the world champion sevens side, Samoa had little chance to practise before the match and that contributed to their error rate, said captain Mahonri Schwalger.
"Some of the players arrived from overseas only last Wednesday and Thursday," the Wales-based Schwalger said, adding he was particularly pleased how the sevens players, including Mikaele Pesamino and Lolo Lui, fitted in.
"Sevens is such a different game these days and so we were interested in how they were going to adjust to 15s, but I’m pretty happy with how the sevens boys played today [Sunday]."
In front of a vocal home crowd, Samoa dominated up front and scored three tries, including a penalty try awarded following frequent scrum collapses on the Tongan line.
Tonga, feeding off Samoa's handling errors, scored two tries, both long-distance efforts originating from turnover ball.
Both teams traded early penalties with Tongan flyhalf Kurt Morath scoring in the opening minute and Samoan fullback Paul Williams responding soon after.
Morath regained the lead for Tonga with a second penalty but it was short-lived as Samoan scrumhalf Junior Poluleuligaga scored under the posts from the kick-off.
Tonga had reason to be satisfied being just 10-6 down at halftime given the wealth of possession and territory enjoyed by Samoa, and Morath kicked a third penalty after the break to narrow the gap to one point.
When Samoa pulled away again following the penalty try, Tonga bounced back with an interception by fullback Vungakoto Lilo, turning a promising Samoa attack into seven points as he sprinted 80 metres to the line.
Pesamino, the try-scoring ace in the Samoa sevens deck, stamped his mark on the game with a run down a narrow corridor on the blindside to score in the corner with 10 minutes remaining.
Sevens captain Lui converted to restore Samoa's eight-point lead before Tonga again shut the margin down to one when Alaska Taufai scored from a counter move that started deep inside the Tonga 22.
Morath converted both of Tonga's tries.
Scorers:
For Samoa:
Tries: Junior Poluleuligaga, Mikaele Pesamino, penalty try
Cons: Lolo Lui 3
Pens: Paul Williams
For Tonga:
Tries: Vungakoto Lilo, Alaska Taufai
Cons: Kurt Morath 2
Pens: Kurt Morath 3
Teams
Samoa: 15 Paul Williams, 14 Mikaele Pesamino, 13 George Pisi, 12 Jamie Helleur, 11 David Lemi, 10 Lolo Lui, 9 Junior Poluleuligaga, 8 George Stowers, 7 Falemiga Selesele, 6 Iosefa Tekori, 5 Kane Thompson, 4 Filipo Lavea Levi, 3 Anthony Perenise, 2 Mahonri Schwalger (Captain), 1 Sakaria Taulafo.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Williams, 17 James Afoa, 18 Manaia Salave’a, 19 Alafoti Faosiliva, 20 Uale Ma’i, 21 Fautua Otto, 22 Uarotafou Setu.
Tonga: 15 Vungakoto Lilo, 14 Alaska Taufai, 13 Saia Fekitoa, 12 Andrew Mailei, 11 Manu’Ahota’e’iloa, 10 Kurt Morath, 9 Daniel Morath, 8 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Paula Kata, 6 Kelepi Halafihi, 5 Alepini Olosoni, 4 Akameta Fe’ao, 3 Po’aloi Taula, 2 Aleki Lutui (Captain), 1 Toma Toke.
Replacements: 16 Sione Vaiomounga, 17 Sione Maama Fukofuka, 18 Sitiveni Mafi, 19 Atunaisa Sikalu, 20 Samisoni Fisilau, 21 Fangatapu Apikotoa, 22 Alipate Fatafehi.
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)