Tonga vs Hong Kong

Tonga will line up in Pool B at Rugby World Cup 2023 after they beat Hong Kong 44-22 at the Sunshine Stadium in Queensland, Australia on Saturday.

Havili put the two previous misses behind him to slot the conversion. Hong Kong replied almost immediately, with a superb dummy and run by full-back Nate de Thierry putting them inside the Tongan 22 before Tom Hill took the ball on with a strong carry. However. after consultation with his TMO, referee Damon Murphy awarded the try and Havili added the extras for a 17-5 lead. Tonga were in retreat mode and when hooker Siua Maile illegally slowed the ball down at the ruck, he was sent to the sin-bin. Stung by the score, Tonga upped the tempo again and pressed for their second try. Hong Kong finally managed to get their hands on the ball as the first quarter drew to a close and scored a try with their very first visit inside the Tongan 22 when some slick passing put hooker Alex Post in at the corner.

KAWANA WATERS, Australia (AP) — Tonga has advanced to next year's Rugby World Cup in France after a 44-22 win over Hong Kong in the final of an Asia Pacific ...

Tonga led 20-8 at halftime. Hong Kong can still qualify for France via a second-chance tournament in Dubai in November. A four-team tournament also involving the United States, Kenya and Portugal will determine the 20th team, with the winner joining Pool C with Wales, two-time champion Australia, Georgia and Fiji. KAWANA WATERS, Australia (AP) — Tonga has advanced to next year’s Rugby World Cup in France after a 44-22 win over Hong Kong in the final of an Asia Pacific qualifying tournament on Saturday.

Tonga have secured their place at the 2023 Rugby World Cup after sweeping aside Asian champions Hong Kong. The Tongans romped to a 44-22 win in the ...

Tonga’s bid to qualify for World Cup began little more than a year ago when they were beaten by Samoa in both legs of their Oceania 1 play-off (42-13 and 37-15), to lose 79-28 on aggregate. They will now join Romania, Ireland, Scotland and world champions South Africa in Pool B, opening their campaign against the Irish in Nantes on September 16, 2023. The daunting group features two of the top three ranked sides in the world in Ireland (number one) and the reigning champions South Africa (number three).