That’s all for this live blog – thanks very much for joining. Here’s the link to the match report from Nice, as Finn Russell again takes the headlines for Scotland. Until next time!
Updated
A bit of housekeeping, with confirmation that Vaea Fifita’s yellow card has been upgraded to a red after a post-match review.
Duhan van der Merwe chats about the game:
“We really enjoyed it tonight. To be honest, it was tough out there. The first half hour, I’ve never been hit like that before. The body will be sore tomorrow. With boys like Finn, Sione and Blair giving me opportunities, it’s amazing.”
A thoroughly professional job from the Scots this evening, with a dash of occasional Tongan defiance. Stick with us for a bit of reaction and the match report.
A thrilling victory for the @Scotlandteam 🏴#RWC2023 | #SCOvTGA pic.twitter.com/J2wzZCQ9oK
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 24, 2023
FULL TIME! SCOTLAND WIN 45-17
No fouls and no mishaps for Gregor Townsend’s side. It’s mission accomplished with a win, a bonus point and most certainly a future in this Rugby World Cup. All roads now lead to that Scotland v Ireland clash on 7th October, which will define the outcome of Pool B.
Today, Finn Russell restated his case as one of the world’s best in the fly-half position and Scotland’s backs found their running feet with some well-worked tries to unlock a dogged Tonga side. Duhan van der Merwe and Blair Kinghorn, in particular, looked razor-sharp.
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TRY! SCOTLAND 45-17 Tonga (Darcy Graham)
Darcy Graham adds some gloss to the scoreline with a blazing run to the try line! That’s exactly what Scotland wanted to finish off this game. Great feet from Graham; nobody was ever going to catch him. Russell knocks over the extras.
78 mins. Is there one final score in this for Scotland, against the 14 men of Tonga? They are probing without much success at the moment, but they do have a scrum on the 5m line …
SIN BIN! Vaea Fifita (Tonga)
Karl Dickson sends Fifita to the sin bin, with another review for the bunker up in Paris to consider after a head-to-head contact from the Tonga No 8’s left arm.
77 mins. A rendition of La Marseillaise reverberates around the Stade de Nice in the final knockings of this one, as two visibly tiring sets of players keep thrashing in each other. There’s a TMO check on a possible sin bin or red card here, with Vaea Fifita he potential culprit.
74 mins. Pita Ahki somehow holds Scotland up, when Kinghorn thought he was about to score another after a burst down the right. You have to admire the steel and determination from Tonga here – they refuse to collapse.
72 mins. Darcy Graham doesn’t quite have the speed to latch onto his own loose kick, as Scotland search for points, points, points. There’s a sense that overall points difference could be telling in the shootout between Scotland, Ireland and South Africa in Pool B.
70 mins. Oh, Duhan ver Merwe, that is a marvellous run! What a shame it didn’t result in a try, but his blistering speed is too much for one Tongan defender, then another, then another, and he spins a big pass to the support that comes from his right, with Huw Jones spilling it in the end. Deserved more.
TRY! Scotland 38-17 Tonga (Blair Kinghorn)
Dempsey flops on top of the ball after it rolls loose from the Scotland maul. They can’t quite work the try opening here, despite getting a penalty advantage. It’s too central, too predictable, but it was only a matter of time before they switched things up and found a gap, Russell setting up Kinghorn to run in the try. That’s the game, DEFINITELY.
Russell adds to his points collection for the evening with a good conversion kick.
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66 mins. Tonga rather play themselves into trouble by hanging onto the ball, rather than simply punting it clear. It’s a penalty in front of the posts for Scotland, but they’re not interested in settling for the three …
64 mins. Pita Ahki’s ambitous pass threatens to earn a line break, but Piutau drops it. We go back to a Tonga scrum in any case, as the crowd amuse themselves amid this … lull in proceedings.
61 mins. Jack Dempsey is penalised for not releasing and yet another Tonga penalty ensues, which will frustrate Gregor Townsend no end. The zing has rather gone out of this game now Scotland have a 14-point lead and that precious bonus point. A Tongan try might change that, of course …
59 mins. Tonga don’t have look good with the ball in hand .. if only their defence was a little more resolute. The Scots make a couple more front-row changes, as their own defence does its job thanks in no small part to another Tongan handling error. Russell again kicks it to salvation.
56 mins. Vailanu and Moli are among the replacements ushered on for Tonga. Graham chases a good long Russell kick to force a good lineout position for Scotland.
TRY! Scotland 31-17 Tonga (George Horne)
Nearly an audacious steal from Tonga at the lineout, with Fisi’ihoi catching from Fifita’s slap-down, but they are penalised as it went forward.
Into a bit of a kicking contest, of which we’ve actually had precious few, with Darcy Graham and then Cummings opting to run and making the breaks for Scotland now push for the line – and find it through Horne in the corner!
Fluent and determined stuff from the Scots. Van der Merwe turned creator on that occasion and Russell kicks a superb conversion from the tightest of angles. Scotland are back in charge.
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51 mins. George Horne is on at scrum-half for Scotland and his first act is to put in five metres out from his own line … here comes the Tongan set-piece shove, but the penalty goes in the Scots’ favour on this occasion. Another sigh of relief for Townsend’s troops.
50 mins. Ah, Tonga. The lineout throw from hooker Ngauamo wasn’t straight and wasn’t caught in any case. Pressure valve officially released.
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49 mins. Scotland do indeed ring the changes, with Graham, Huw Jones and Pierre Schoeman are those coming on.
Salesi Piutau’s kick has given Tonga the territorial advantage back on the pitch and after a penalty call in their favour, Havili opts for the corner with his kick.
47 mins. Tonga continue to enjoy their upper hand at scrum time, although we’ve got a pause in play now while a stricken Rory Sutherland is attended to by the medics. Darcy Graham is about to come off the Scottish bench.
46 mins. It was a fantastic penalty into touch from Havili that set up that Tonga score, but Scotland will be frustrated with their defence, which buckled under the slightest bit of pressure.
They are functioning much better with ball in hand this evening … well, until just now. Kinghorn’s forward pass stops another promising phase in its tracks.
TRY! Scotland 24-17 Tonga (Ben Tameifuna)
Russell’s clearance isn’t good enough and Tonga flex their attacking muscles through captain Ben Tameifuna – no Scotland player can stop him surging through to score. Well, well, well.
The extras are added by the reliable boot of Havili. Game on?
42 mins. Taumoepeau is now back on the field, as Tuipulotu’s dancing feet get Scotland going, in search of a fifth try and a more comfortable deficit. Better defence this time from Tonga, who win a penalty and a chance to put their own pressure on. Scott Cummings was penalised for crossing, he timed his run poorly.
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SECOND HALF!
We’re back under way. And just before we started, referee Karl Dickson explained there was some mitigation for that Taumoepeau yellow card, so it will remain as such.
Matt Fagerson has replaced Jamie Ritchie for Scotland.
The general consensus seems to be that Taumoepeau will see red for his tackle on Jamie Ritchie. A high degree of danger, head to head contact etc etc – he’s in bother, for sure. We’ll find out for sure when the teams emerge, shortly, for the second half.
This was my highlight of the first half. Finn-tastic.
🚨 50:22 alert 🚨
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 24, 2023
The cultured right boot of Finn Russell getting to work#RWC2023 | #SCOvTGA pic.twitter.com/9UFHD3Y4nT
Four tries and a bonus point represents job done for Gregor Townsend’s men, albeit they didn’t have everything their own way in that first half. They were undoubtedly given a helping hand by Afusipa Taumoepeau, who was sent to the sin bin for a high challenge.
Finn Russell has, predictably, been the star, excelling from stand-off with his range of passes and kicks unlocking the Tongan defence time and time again. He missed a couple of conversions, but that hardly matters in the scheme of things. Scotland should get what they need if they keep their cool in the second half.
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TRY AND HALF TIME! Scotland 24-10 Tonga (Rory Darge)
Too easy! Rory Darge finds the necessary hole to burst through and cross under the posts as Tonga’s defence is stretched to breaking point. A simple conversion for Russell and that will be half time.
40 mins. Great defence from Tonga to hold up Steyn, with Dempsey then trying to beaver through under the sticks. Van der Merwe is forced just into touch trying to sneak home on the opposite flank. Scotland had a penalty advantage, anyway, so we’ll go back to that. It’s a scrum under the Tongan posts, with Scotland hungry to extend their lead here.
39 min. A magical – and very intelligent – kick from Ben White into the vacant Tonga left flank. That was Russell-esque. Scotland will get one final chance to add to their lead before this half comes to a close.
37 mins. Augustine Pulu clears Tonga’s lines with the box kick. How Toutai Kefu’s side would love to get into half-time without any further punishment.
35 mins. Ben White marshals the Scotland maul, as they look to capitalise on their numerical advantage here. Russell then runs out of room to perform his magic on the left wing, knocking on.
SIN BIN! Afusipa Taumoepeau (Tonga)
Taumoepeau is indeed shown a yellow card – and will be under review while he stews in the sin bin for the next 10 minutes. No arguments with that call, and it could well be upgraded to a red.
Updated
33 mins. No alarms in the end for Scotland. They get the turnover and it’s quickly out to the speedsters, Steyn and Kinghorn.
Finally a chance to catch our collective breath as the referee brings us back for a penalty – and potentially a high tackle from Tonga’s Afusipa Taumoepeau.
32 mins. That’s poor from Ben White, taking too long to recycle the ball out of the ruck following the restart, with Tonga now responding nicely with some powerful drives.
TRY! Scotland 17-10 Tonga (Kyle Steyn)
The Scots are getting all sorts of joy from lineouts, going on the offensive once more, attacking initially down the middle with their pack and Russell again getting it wide – and bringing a try! Kyle Steyn with the turn of pace to crash over the line.
Russell again fails with the conversion, striking the post. His kicking has been off but his passing has been top, top notch.
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28 mins. It hasn’t been vintage Scotland by any means – that rustiness I mentioned before kick-off has certainly been evident – but they’re halfway to a bonus point before the half-hour mark. It was always likely to be an open and error-strewn contest, and so it’s proved.
TRY! Scotland 12-10 Tonga (Duhan van der Merwe)
Scotland get a bit of a freebie from referee Karl Dickson, who spotted a no-arms tackle from Tonga, so Russell’s kick sets up a throwing opportunity for George Turner again, who finds Jack Dempsey. Catch and drive again?
No! A lovely piece of variety as it soun to the left flank and van der Merwe runs in the try in the corner! Good hands to set that up, including from Russell, but the fly-half cannot add the extras.
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23 mins. Delightful stuff from the prop Sutherland, dancing through a hole in the Tongan line to gain some yardage .. before it’s all let down by a poor Jamie Ritchie pass. Scotland going backwards now, both literally and figuratively.
TRY! Scotland 7-10 Tonga (Solomone Kata)
Spun swiftly out wide by Tonga and Kata sneaks in to score! How did he find that gap? Superb strength and a lovely dash of opportunism from Piutau to set it up.
Havili knocks through the conversion and we have a game on our hands.
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19 mins. Nice feet and step from Kinghorn but yet again Scotland can’t stick it under the jumper, the ball spilling from the ruck, which means another Tonga scrum. A bit rough around the edges from Townsend’s side thus far.
17 mins. This is fast and furious rugby. So many quick turnovers and kick-chases from both sides, a few handling errors and ultra-brave offloads making things interesting, too.
16 mins. Solomone Kata hands off van der Merwe in brutal fashion, to cue oohs and aahs from the crowd. Scotland’s defence is functioning nicely, though, winning a turnover to allow Kinghorn and Russell to get their kicking boots on. Lineout in a good spot.
13 mins. A first patch of grass for van der Merwe to race into after a straightforward catch … you don’t want to give him too many of those openings. Worked nicely to the opposite flank by Scotland but Steyn is robbed at the opportune moment and Pita Ahki nudges Tonga clear.
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11 mins. It’s loose from the Tongan three-quarter line in their own half, several mistakes there, but Chris Harris’ fingertips were responsible for a knock-on earlier in that phase, so we return to another scrum.
PENALTY! Scotland 7-3 Tonga (William Havili)
No problems for the left boot of Havili, who reduces Tonga’s arrears. How South Africa could have used such a reliable kicker against Ireland in Paris last night.
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8 mins. Rory Sutherland is penalised for collapsing at the scrum and Tonga will have a shot at goal here, in very kickable range for Havili.
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7 mins. Russell with a good kick to clear Scotland away from trouble, but a sloppy knock-on means they’ll be on the back foot for the next few moments, with the scrum a major strength of the South Sea islanders …
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TRY! Scotland 7-0 Tonga (George Turner)
A solid start to the Scottish lineout, with a good throw by George Turner and then an offside call in their favour, allowing Finn Russell to dump a kick somewhere near the Tonga 22m line. Catch and drive time.
And this time it is a try! Turner is at the apex of the maul that steams through the red-shirted defence. The ideal start, as Russell adds the extras.
2 mins. Is that a try? Blair Kinghorn with an unbelievable chase following a long punt downfield. Ridiculous pace from the full-back and the referee initially says try. The TMO has a look …
No try, he just knocked on when picking up and trying to put down. But oh so close. Scrum down on the Tonga 5m line.
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KICK OFF!
Tonga’s William Havili kicks us off after referee Karl Dickson’s whistle.
Flower of Scotland is belted out in typical fashion. The National Song of Tonga follows. We’re good to go .. after the Sipi Tau of course.
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There are former All Blacks everywhere in this Tongan side, notably No 8 Vaea Fifita who is an absolute powerhouse. Looking forward to watching him in action, while full-back Charles Piutau is another who will no doubt catch the eye.
The players will be out for the anthems soon.
Suffice to say Scotland need a bonus point win today – and probably in all their remaining games. Gregor Townsend has just said as much to the TV cameras, calling for his players to be “relentless”. It’s crazy that after just one game the Scots are already fretting about bonus points and qualification … such is the quality in this Pool B.
Ewan Ashman isn’t taking Tonga lightly at all. The Scotland hooker saw plenty of warning signs in their performance in the 59-16 defeat to Ireland that will be taken heed of.
“That Ireland-Tonga score isn’t reflective of Tonga as a team,” said the replacement hooker. “They have quality individuals and probably some of the biggest hitters in the world. They have got some class players as well. It’s a huge challenge.”
Tonga are unchanged from their defeat to Ireland, albeit with coach Toutai Kefu looking for a much-improved display as they look to topple one of the elite northern hemisphere nations.
Lock Adam Coleman is one of two changes to the bench – he of 38 Australia caps, the most recent of which came in 2019. He can make his Tonga debut if he comes on. No nation have handed out more debuts at this World Cup than Tonga.
The Tonga lads are in the building 💪 #RWC2023 | #SCOvTGA pic.twitter.com/UYgsbclg7j
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 24, 2023
There was no messing about from Scottish head coach Gregor Townsend when naming his team for this one, saying it’s as strong a lineup as he could have picked, four changes from the one beaten by South Africa two weeks ago. Winger Kyle Steyn and lock Scott Cummings come in, as do centre Chris Harris and loosehead Rory Sutherland.
We need to get our World Cup started. If we a lose a game now, we’re out of the tournament and we have to approach every game with that mentality. We didn’t play at our best against South Africa and we have to win the next three games. That’s the challenge ahead of us.
Today's teams
Scotland: Kinghorn; Steyn, Harris, Tuipulotu, van der Merwe; Russell, White; Dempsey, Darge, Ritchie (c), Cummings, Gray, Z. Fagerson, Turner, Sutherland.
Replacements: Ashman, Schoeman, Nel, Skinner, M. Fagerson, Horne, Jones, Graham.
Tonga: Piutau; Kata, Fekitoa, Ahki, Taumoepeau; Havili, Pulu; V. Fifita, Talitui, Halaifonua, Lousi, H.Fifita, Tameifuna (captain), Ngauamo, Fisi’ihoi.
Replacements: Moli, Koloamatangi, Apikotoa, Coleman, Paea, Vailanu, Takulua, Pellegrini.
How Scotland would love a bit of the exultation being enjoyed by their counterparts in green right now. This is a good read on the other teams in Pool B:
Preamble
Happy Sunday! Goodness, it feels like a long time since Scotland played a game in this Rugby World Cup, doesn’t it?
Well that’s because it is; a fortnight to be precise since they were beaten 18-3 by South Africa in rather tame fashion. In that time, the Sprinboks and Ireland have ascended to the top two in Pool B – playing out a thriller in Paris on Saturday night – and Gregor Townsend’s side can afford no further slip-ups if they’re to make the quarter-finals.
Tonga have also been short of action, well beaten by Ireland in their only game so far eight days ago. It may take a while, then, for these sides to shake off the rustiness when they meet in Nice this afternoon. We’ll run you through the teams soon before the action begins. Do stay tuned.
