For my part I was so proud of Tonga. What spunk! I'm not so convinced that last try was grounded but they deserved it none the less...if not for the incredibly intense haka then for the spirit they played with. I love how Jonny is blaming the ball for his less than perfect kicking game. And i love how Barkley attempted the most pathetic drop goal ever right in front and missed and how jonny cames back 5 mins later and shows him how its done..hehehe. Well done Tonga!

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England claims Australian date

From Julian Guyer in Paris
September 29, 2007 ENGLAND defeated Tonga 36-20 in the Rugby World Cup Pool A match at Parc des Princes in Paris today to set up a quarter-final against Australia next weekend.

England, which defeated the Wallabies to win the World Cup final in Sydney four years ago, scored four tries through wing Paul Sackey, who bagged a first-half brace to follow up his double in last weekend's 44-22 win over Samoa, centre Mathew Tait and replacement back Andy Farrell, with his first England try.

Jonny Wilkinson claimed a match haul of 16 points to leave the fly-half just five points short of Scotland great Gavin Hastings's Rugby World Cup record of 227.

"We did the basics right but it was a tough night," Wilkinson said. "They have a lot of skill. It could have gone either way but we became strong at the end. "I still need to improve. (oh get stuffed...he was phenomonal...in fact...he was england...) "If you had told me this morning that we would win by a few points and qualify for the quarter-finals, we would have taken it. "But we still have a long way to go."

The intensity of this do-or-die match was made clear before the kick off, with England eyeballing the Tongans as the islanders went through their traditional pre-match challenge.

But the Pacific islanders made the stronger start and they took a ninth-minute lead when fly-half Pierre Hola kicked a 45-metre goal after England wing Mark Cueto had been penalised for holding on to the ball in a tackle.

Wilkinson levelled wihin minutes, making no mistake with the easy chance after Tonga had infringed, but the islanders deservedly regained the lead when they scored the first try of the game in the 17th minute.

Sukanaivalu Hufanga made a searing break inside the England 22, brushing aside tackles from Cueto and Sackey before sliding over while being tackled by Olly Barkley.

Hola converted and Tonga had reason to dream, but the islanders, thrashed 101-10 by England at Twickenham in the teams' only previous meeting, at the 1999 Rugby World Cup, saw their advantage cut within minutes when Wilkinson's cross-kick was held by the diving Sackey as he slid over the dead-ball line.

Wilkinson missed the conversion from wide on the right, but England then enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure in the underdogs' 22 after a poor clearance kick and a knock-on.

But England wasted scoring opportunities when hooker George Chuter knocked on and Barkley missed a close-range drop goal. Wilkinson, whose drop goal secured England's victory in the final four years ago, showed Barkley how it should be done with a 31st-minute effort that put his side one point up before landing a penalty goal four minutes later.

The men in white then got firmly in the ascendency with a length-of-the-field breakaway try after Hola's pass was dropped by wing Tevita Tu'ifua just metres from the England line.

Sackey collected the loose ball and ran the length of the field for an unvoverted try that put England two scores in front and surely settled the players' nerves.

Hola reduced the margin with a penalty early in the second half, but England soon extended it once more with a try from Tait.
Cueto seemed to have botched a try-scoring chance by not passing inside the Tonga 22, but Tait exploited an overlap out on the left in the 57th minute.

Wilkinson added the extras and England had a comforting 26-13 lead heading into the final quarter.

Former Great Britain rugby league captain Farrell, playing as a replacement for Barkley, then went in under the posts against a tiring defence before Wilkinson's second drop goal nudged England further in front.

Tonga, one of the surprise teams of this tournament, had flanker Hale T-Pole cross in the corner in the dying seconds for a consolation try that Hola converted to make the score a true reflection of the islanders' efforts.

Agence France-Presse


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England sets up Wallabies clash
29/09/2007 7:43:10 AM
PA Sport


England will meet arch enemies Australia in the a World Cup quarter-final clash with in Marseille after toppling Tonga at Parc des Princes.

The Pool A eliminator went England's way thanks to a try double from Wasps wing Paul Sackey - his second successive tournament brace - before centre Mathew Tait claimed a 57th-minute clincher.

Tait's Newcastle colleague Jonny Wilkinson kicked 16 points, taking him to 955 for England, with the Webb Ellis Trophy holders wiping out a worrying early 10-3 deficit.

Substitute Andy Farrell, on as a second-half substitute for the unconvincing Olly Barkley, claimed his first touchdown in England colours, pressing a strong case for inclusion against the Wallabies.

England qualified as group runners-up behind South Africa, adding a bonus point, and traditional World Cup foes Australia now await them at Stade Velodrome.

The game will reignite one of the World Cup's great rivalries. Australia beat England in the 1991 final at Twickenham, but its title defence was ended by Will Carling and company in 1995, then England memorably toppled the Wallabies in Sydney to be crowned 2003 world champions.

Current form suggests Australia will start as favourites, although the absence of their injured playmaker Stephen Larkham could level up the contest.

England's immediate concern was to overcome the best Tongan side in World Cup history, and they eventually managed it in reasonably convincing fashion.

Centre Sukanaivalu Hufanga's 17th-minute try, converted by flyhalf Pierre Hola, raised the possibility of an upset.

No reigning rugby world champion had previously failed to make the tournament's knockout stages, and England ultimately avoided that fate with ease.

Sackey's scores - the first a direct result of Wilkinson's brilliant cross-kick, and the second a 70-metre breakaway effort - gave England breathing space.

And after a poor third quarter, England spent the remaining minutes running a shattered Tongan side off its feet.

Farrell's appearance gave England much-needed midfield stability, and when he powered over 14 minutes from time it was rich reward for an outstanding contribution.

Wilkinson, despite a mixed night with the boot, slotted two penalties, two drop-goals and two conversions, putting him just five points behind all-time World Cup record points scorer Gavin Hastings.

Tonga, who had a World Cup to savour after beating Samoa and the USA before running South Africa close, at least enjoyed the final word when flanker Hale T Pole bagged a consolation try which flyhalf Hola converted.

England 36
Tries: Sackey 2, Farrell, Tait
Penalty goals: Wilkinson 2
Conversions: Wilkinson 2
Drop goals: Wilkinson 2

Tonga 20
Tries: Hufanga, TPole
Penalty goals: Hola 2
Conversions: Hola 2