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Powerful Mate Ma'a Tonga outclass gutsy Toa Samoa in huge Pacific Test clash in Sydney

June 23, 2018

Relive 1 NEWS NOW's live coverage of the Pacific Test between Mate Ma'a Tonga and Toa Samoa from Cambelltown Stadium, Sydney.

FULLTIME - TONGA 38 SAMOA 22

Tonga were simply too big and too strong for Toa Samoa. The men and blue showed great pride in a late comeback in the second spell but the damage was all done in the first half by the Mate Ma'a Tonga star forwards.

Tonga's Jason Taumalolo. Tonga v Samoa, Rugby League World Cup, FMG Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand. Saturday, 4 November, 2017. Copyright photo: John Cowpland / www.photosport.nz

78 mins - TONGA 38 SAMOA 22

Anthony Milford almost gets trapped inside his own in-goal but does well to get out.

72 mins - TONGA 38 SAMOA 22

TWO! Sio Siua Taukeiaho slots his penalty kick at goal after a surging run and attack from Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo.

69 mins - TONGA 36 SAMOA 22

NO TRY! Pita Godinet tries to sell a dummy on the last but Tonga's Joe Ofahengaue comes up with the try-saving tackle for Mate Ma'a Tonga. Momentum has shifted big time in favour of Toa Samoa. But you just sense that Toa Samoa may have left their late surge of attack a bit too late.

67 mins - TONGA 36 SAMOA 22

GOAL-LINE DROPOUT! Anthony Milford puts in a pin-point grubber to earn his side another set.

64 mins - TONGA 36 SAMOA 22

TRY! Joey Leilua makes a powerful run down the left edge and Toa Samoa opt ot run it on the last. Tim Lafai manages to keep his hand free and he offloads the ball to Jorge Taufua who dots down over the left flank. Toa Samoa hit back! There is still 15 minutes to go in the match.

Mason Lino misses his attempt at goal from the sideline.

63 mins - TONGA 36 SAMOA 18

INJURY! Manu Ma'u cops a knee to the head after a charging run from James Gavet. Ma'u goes to the sidelines for an HIA test.

55 mins - TONGA 36 SAMOA 18

TRY! Toa Samoa show great fight and their No. 6 Tyrone May steps and weaves his way though the Tongan defence and grounds the ball over the try-line with two Tongan defenders on him.

Mason Lino lands his kick from out wide.

52 mins - TONGA 36 SAMOA 12

TRY! Tim Lafai shows some great footwork at the line and beats four Tongan defenders to score the Samoans second try of the match. 

Mason Lino sends the ball through the uprights and gives the Samoan fans something to cheer about.

43 mins - TONGA 36 SAMOA 6

TRY! After an initial big hit from Samoa on Peni Terepo, reserve forward Junior Tatola powers over to score with an exceptional strong run. Tatola is extremely happy about that four-pointer as he celebrates with his team after saluting the crowd.

Sio Siua Taukeiaho slots his conversion attempt at goal through the uprights.

40 mins - TONGA 30 SAMOA 6

And we are back underway with Samoa kicking off to Mate Ma'a Tonga.

HALFTIME - TONGA 30 SAMOA 6

Samoa have one last throw of the dice before the break but Mason Lino has overcooked his chip kick for his winger Jorge Taufua. Mate Ma'a Tonga have been simply sublime in the first spell with Toa Samoa having to defend for most of the first half.

40 mins: TONGA 30 SAMOA 6

NO TRY! Daniel Tupou knocks the ball on after a great kick from Mason Lino to put Toa Samoa in excellent try scoring opportunity. Anthony Milford regathers the ball but he is held up over the try-line. Samoa has 18 seconds to muster something up here in the first half. 

37 mins: TONGA 30 SAMOA 6

TURNOVER! Joey Leilua tries to set up something for his winger Christian Chrichton down the right edge but he offload the ball to noone. Unfortunate for Samoa after they received another set after Tonga knocked the ball on.

36 mins: TONGA 30 SAMOA 6

GOAL-LINE DROPOUT! A Samoans get a much needed set after a clever grubber kick from Pita Godinet which sits up in the Tongan in-goal. Manu Ma'u is forced to play at it and he can't get out.

32 mins: TONGA 30 SAMOA 6

TRY! Daniel Tupou dives over to score down the left edge. Some great passing here from Tonga - Will Hopoate shows silky skills to catch the ball and shift it quickly to his winger Hopoate. Momentum all with Tonga at the moment.

Sio Siua Taukeiaho hit the right post after a conversion attempt from the sideline.

30 mins: TONGA 26 SAMOA 6

TRY! Will Hopoate picks up a loose ball and carries with him three Samoan defenders with him over the try-line. It's all one way traffic so far with the Samoans struggling to contain a dominant Mate Ma'a Tonga forward pack.

Sio Siua Taukeiaho lands his kick from easy range.

29 mins: TONGA 20 SAMOA 6

PENALTY! After a good positive from Toa Samoa they are penalised after the officials rule Joey Leilua stripped the ball off Tongan winger Daniel Tupou in a two man tackle. Replays show that it was a loose carry from Tupou.

24 mins: TONGA 20 SAMOA 6

TRY! The Tongans are all over Toa Samoa, Sione Katoa scoots down to the blindside and passes the ball to Konrad Hurrell. Hurrell throws an offload which hits the ground and Robert Jennings gets a boot to it and grounds the ball over the right edge. 

Sio Siua Taukeiaho misses his conversion attempt from the sideline.

19 mins: TONGA 16 SAMOA 6

PENALTY! Anthony Milford earns his side a much needed penalty and Samoa have the ball on the halfway line. Jason Taumalolo showcases his kicking game, showing some shape in his grubber kick which sits up just outside the Toa Samoa in-goal. 

15 mins: TONGA 16 SAMOA 6

TRY! Konrad Hurrell crashes over down the right edge after the Tongan forwards are sucking in the Toa Samoa defenders. Tui Lolohea recognises the space down the right side and shifts it to his centre Hurrell.

Sio Siua Taukeiaho misses his kick from the sideline.

Jason Taumalolo leads the Tongan haka.
England v Tonga, Semi-Final, Rugby League World Cup 2017. RLWC2017. Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland New Zealand. Saturday 25 November 2017 © Copyright Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.Photosport.nz

11 mins: TONGA 12 SAMOA 6

TRY! Ata Hingano crosses over to score for Tonga after an excellent run from Jason Taumalolo which created the space for Will Hopoate and Ata Hingano to punch onto and score Mate Ma'a Tonga's second try.

Sio Siua Taukeiaho is perfect with the boot.

9 mins: TONGA 6 SAMOA 6

TRY! Siliva Havili makes a up for a missed tackle which led up to Samoa's try. He dummies and goes and he is in for Mate Ma'a Tonga's first try. The Tongan forward pack causing all sorts of trouble for Toa Samoa.

Sio Siua Taukeiaho lands his kick at goal from out wide to level the scores at 6-6.

6 mins: TONGA 0 SAMOA 6

PENALTY! Daniel Tupou makes a great break down the left edge and the Samoans give away a cheap penalty. The Tongans opt for a quick tap and go. 

2 mins: TONGA 0 SAMOA 6

TRY! James Gavet finds a hole in the Tongan defence and he muscles his way over to score, he gets through a poor tackle attempt from Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Siliva Havili.

Mason Lino makes no mistake with his shot at goal.

1 min: TONGA 0 SAMOA 0

PENALTY! Konrad Hurrell is penalised for a high shot on James Gavet. There is some big shots coming in from the Tongan players on Samoa.

TONGA 0 SAMOA 0

KICK-OFF!

Tui Lolohea gets things started with a big kick off to Samoa.

PRE MATCH

After both these sides impressed at last year's Rugby League World Cup, traditional rivals Tonga and Samoa will again do battle in this year's Pacific Test.

Both sides have named teams littered with top NRL talent, with the likes of Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita for Tonga, and Anthony Milford and Sam Kasiano for Samoa among those to choose country over cash to represent the nation of their heritage.

Tonight's encounter will be thrilling even before the kick-off, with the two sides to pit their respective war dances against one another, with Tonga's Sipi Tau on show against the Samoan Siva Tau.

TEAMS:

Mate Ma'a Tonga:  1. Will Hopoate 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Konrad Hurrell 4. Michael Jennings 5. Robert Jennings 6. Tuimoala Lolehea 7. Ata Hingano 8. Andrew Fifita 9. Siliva Havili 10. Addin Fonua-Blake 11. Manu Ma'u 12. Sio Siua Taukeiaho 13. Jason Taumalolo.

Interchange:  14. Sione Katoa 15. Joe Ofahengaue 16. Peni Terepo 17. Junior Tatola 18. Moeaki Fotuaika

Toa Samoa: 1. Anthony Milford, 2. Christian Chrichton, 3. Joey Leilua, 4. Tim Lafai, 5. Jorge Taufua, 6. Tyrone May, 7. Mason Lino, 8. James Gavet, 9. Pita Godinet, 10. Sam Kasiano, 11. Michael Chee Kam, 12. Isaiah Papali'i, 13. Bunty Afoa.

Interchange: 14. Dunamis Lui, 15. Josh Aloiai, 16. Ligi Sao, 17. Joseph Paulo, 18. Luciano Leilua.

1 min: TONGA 0 SAMOA 0

30 mins: TONGA 26 SAMOA 6

37 mins: TONGA 30 SAMOA 6

43 mins - TONGA 30 SAMOA 6

69 mins - TONGA 36 SAMOA 22

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