Australia A 60, Tonga 15

Australia A 60, Tonga 15 :: Full Time at Aussie Stadium, Sydney

Australia A has opened its iRB Pacific Nations Cup campaign with a 60 to 15 demolition of Tonga at Aussie Stadium.

The Australians ran in eight tries to two, with wing Lachie Turner bagging a hat-trick in a man of the match winning performance.

Ryan Cross also bagged a double for the victors, with the remainder going to Tatafu Polota-Nau, Peter Hewat and Clinton Shifcofske.

Shifcofske also added six conversions and two penalty goals for a personal haul of 23 points for the match.


AUSTRALIA A V TONGA – AS IT HAPPENED

3rd Minute – Clinton Shifcofske kicks Australia A out to an early lead with a penalty goal from 42 metres. Australia A 3-nil.

7th Minute – Tonga hit straight back with a well worked try to wing Seti Kiole. Fangatapu Apikotoa’s attempt at conversion from the sideline is charged down by Lachie Turner. Tonga lead 5-3.

19th Minute – Shifcofske adds a second penalty, this time from in front of goal. Australia A 6-5.

26th Minute – Apikotoa makes no mistake with a penalty goal from 20 metres. Tonga 8-6.

28th Minute – Australia A scores it’s first try, Tatafu Polota-Nau touching down out wide off a rolling maul from a lineout. Shifcofske converts from the sideline. Australia A 13-8.

Half Time – Australia A 13 (Tatafu Polota-Nau try; Clinton Shifcofske conversion, 2 penalty goals) leads Tonga 8 (Seti Kiole try; Fangatapu Apikotoa penalty goal)

44th Minute – Australia A score their second, Lachie Turner coming in on the angle off a Berrick Barnes short ball to score under the posts. Shifcofske converts. Australia A 20-8.

47th Minute – Australia A substitution – Julian Salvi on for David Pocock.

49th Minute – Turner scores his second, sprinting away to score off a Junior Pelesasa break. Shifcofske converts. Australia A 27-8.

55th Minute – Australia A centre Ryan Cross brushes aside four would-be defenders to score out wide. Shifcofske’s conversion attempt hits the crossbar after he loses his footing while striking the ball. Australia 32-8.

56th Minute – Australia A substitution – Gareth Hardy on for Troy Takiari.

58th Minute – Australia A builds a substantial overlap which allows Cross to score his second five pointer. Shifcofske converts from 10 metres in from touch. Australia A 39-8.

60th Minute – Australia A substitution – Gene Fairbanks on for Junior Pelesasa.

60th Minute – Australia A substitution – Adam Wallace-Harrison on for Jone Tawake.

65th Minute – Australia A substitution – Sean Hardman on for Tatafu Polota-Nau.

68th Minute – Lachie Turner scores his third try, toeing ahead a Sam Cordingley box kick before touching down just inside the dead ball line. Shifcofske converts. Australia A 46-8.

68th Minute – Australia A substitution – Josh Holmes on for Sam Cordingley.

69th Minute – Australia A substitution – Kurtley Beale on for Berrick Barnes.

70th Minute – Tongan wing Aisea Kaufusi is yellow carded for persistent ruck infringements.

72nd Minute – Tongan replacement Naisa Sikalu is yellow carded for persistent ruck infringements.

74th Minute – Peter Hewat goes over out wide without a hand laid upon him. He converts his own try from the sideline. Australia A 53-8.

76th Minute – Australia A substitution – Junior Pelesasa on for Ryan Cross.

78th Minute – Tonga get their second try, inside centre Isileli Tupou carrying two defenders over the line to score. Fangatapu Apikotoa’s conversion is good. Australia A 53-15.

82nd Minute – Shifcofske finishes off a 50 metre movement, scoring beside the posts. He converts, taking the final score along to 60-15 in favour of Australia A.

Full Time – Australia A 60 (Lachie Turner 3, Ryan Cross 2, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Peter Hewat, Clinton Shifcofske tries; Shifcofske 6 conversions, Hewat 1 conversion; Shifcofske 2 penalty goals) defeated Tonga 15 (Seti Kiole, Isileli Tupou tries; Fangatapu Apikotoa 1 conversion, 1 penalty goal), at Aussie Stadium, Sydney.

Half Time: Australia A 13-8.

Crowd: 5,912.

Man of the Match: Lachie Turner (Australia A)

good to see Cross getting on the score sheet

Cross did better than that - he had a blinder - really good on attack, made more than his fair share of yards for the team etc..

Dont rush Turner: Fisher

May 26, 2007 - 2:01pm
Story by: Sportal

Lachie Turner’s meteoric rise through the rugby ranks has continued after scoring a hat trick in Australia A's 60-15 demolition of Tonga on Friday night but coach Laurie Fisher has warned not to rush the teenager.

The performance capped off a memorable week for Turner who received the Super 14 Rookie of the Year award on Monday night.

But despite the man-of-the-match performance, coach Laurie Fisher believes the Waratah's flyer should remain in the A-program throughout the Pacific Nations Cup (PNC), and not be drafted into the top squad.

"I don't think that we need to be rushing players; he's a player of the future and I don't necessarily think he needs to be pushed too fast too quickly," Fisher said.

The level-headed Turner says he has not allowed himself to even consider the chance of a Wallabies debut at this stage.

"I'm trying to really, not to get ahead of myself and just cherish the time that I've got playing at this level," Turner said.

"I'm still being challenged … every game is throwing up something different that's making me think twice, so, I think that's a good thing and it's keeping me on my toes."

After trailing 8-6 mid-way through the first half, the A-team totally out classed the Tongans in the second stanza, launching a seven-try blitz.

But Fisher told reporters after the match that changes would be made to the line-up against Samoa next Saturday, to give other players the chance to perform.

"We've only got a squad of 25 so we'd want to be giving guys who didn't get a start this week a start next week. It's important that we give everybody an opportunity, not just the starting 15," Fisher said.

The coach identified flanker Dean Mumm, fullback Peter Hewat, Gene Fairbanks, who added spark off the bench, and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau as the other stand-out performers on the night.

Despite the lop-sided score line, Fisher insists the PNC is a great initiative and challenge, claiming the Tongans had the upper hand physically in the first half.

"I think it's a tremendous opportunity for this group of players, if they weren't playing in this tournament they'd be playing club rugby, (and) training two nights a week."

"It's most important (with) five weeks on the road that we do enjoy ourselves and we do progress as a team, and individuals, and that's high on our list of priorities," Fisher said.

Steve Orme