After being down 21 points just after half-time the Tongan Schools Under 18 team got to within seven of the BMW Australian Schools Barbarians before the Aussies ran out winners 38-26 at Newington yesterday.
After a week in a training camp at home the Tongan team arrived in Sydney and beat NSW Catholic Combined Colleges at TG Millner 45-8, and a Combined High Schools team at Newcastle 32-12.
The Aussie team had a three day camp last week and gave a good account of themselves given the short time they had together.
THE NEWINGTON CONNECTION
It was fitting that Tonga played this game at Newington College, because the school was founded by the Reverend James Egan Moulton in 1863 just before he took up a ministry in Tonga, where he founded Tupou College three years later.
There is still a strong connection between the two schools—and indeed between Newington and Tonga generally—because several members of the Tongan royal family have attended Newington.
THE BARBARIAN CONNECTION
The team, formerly known as Australian Schools A, received approval from the Australian Barbarians Rugby Club to adopt their name last year. There was an understanding that they would play attacking rugby with good sportsmanship within the spirit of the game—precepts of the UK Barbarians Rugby Club established in 1890. The boys also wore the green jerseys of the senior team—and their school socks.
FIRST HALF
The game started ominously for the visitors as their infringements kept them in their own half. From one penalty kick the ball was mauled from the lineout and lock Nick Brown scored.
Tonga looked nervous passing the ball wide and after one knock-on and a scrum 11. Petaia laid on a pass to fullback Hansen and he scored too easily. Winger Rixon had converted both tries and the Baas led 14-0 after 13 minutes.
It looked like Tonga were in for a long afternoon but nobody told the visitors. Standout 7 Tafua intercepted a lazy pass and hared up the field; then after a rare Tonga penalty 5 Vuna scored from the lineout.
But poor handling in their own territory cost Tonga and from a scrum in the visitor’s 22 Aussie halfback Jordan scooted through poor defence for a signature try. Converted: Barbarians 21-5 at 25 minutes.
Although they didn’t profit immediately Tonga was not chucking the ball around now but keeping it tight with strong runs from the likes of THP Atuekaho, 4 Tai, and Tafua.
A smart run and chip by winger Petaia put the Barbarians in a strong position and after the visitors left their feet to secure the ball, hooker Faessler, scored a captain’s try from the subsequent lineout maul. With a few minutes left in the half the Aussies were ahead by a whopping 26-5, but Tonga hit back before the break.
For once they profited from expansive play after 12 Latu charged up into the Aussie half. It was almost a carbon copy of their first try when a penalty was kicked close and the Tongans took the ball up from the lineout. This time the ball went wide and the ubiquitous Latu scored.
Half-time score: Australian Barbarians 26 – Tonga Under 18 Schools 12.
SECOND HALF
Immediately after the break 7 Dylan Pietsch scored between the posts from 60 metres out: truth be told there weren’t too many tacklers where they should have been but it looked spectacular. Barbarians 33-12.
Then the Baas had their worst defensive effort of the game when lock Tai ignored two attempted tackles in the Aussie 22 and scored in the third, under the crossbar: 33-19.
Tongan tight play was starting to bear fruit. They were held up over the line but 8 Lutua took the ball from the scrum and when tackled passed the ball to Latu, who scored his second, on the charge. Hello—with the conversion the score was Barbarians 33-26. Game on.
But with 15 minutes remaining Tonga left too much space near touch and when 13 Stanghon threatened defenders he passed to speedster 14 Rixon who could not be caught and he flashed over from 35 metres out. 38-26.
There was some exciting rugby after that, mostly from the Aussies, including 22 Harrison doing a chip and chase act for the Baas, and there was some white line fever also – but there was no more scoring.
Final score: Australian Schools Barbarians 38 – Tongan Under 18 Schools 26.
Tonga’s poor discipline in the first quarter and poor ball ball work in periods throughout the game were the big negatives of the visitors. Their strength was running through the middle which was punishing provided they retained the ball.
The Aussies were more in control of their game and would have been better if they had more than three days of training – and perhaps a lead-up game.
The Tongan coach said the boys are enjoying their trip to Australia; for many of them it’s their first trip overseas so it’s good development for them personally and in rugby.
“In the game we wanted to keep the ball tight because some of the Aussie boys are really fast – and to play a physical game.”
He thought Tonga captain and hooker Voni played well, as did 6 Tangimana and 7 Taufa.