Standout showings from Filipo Daugunu and Langi Gleeson today set up a commanding 39-22 victory for Australia A over Tonga in the heat of Lautoka.
The strong five-try finish to the Pacific Nations Cup had plenty of upbeat features with halfback Ryan Lonergan completing an excellent tournament.
Catch Australia A take on Tonga LIVE on Stan Sport. Start your Free Sport Trial Now
Lonergan’s crisp, accurate pass from the mayhem of the breakdown always found its mark as the trigger for Australia A’s attacks. His five-from-six effort with the boot was also a reminder that the Wallabies have a quality goalkicker in reserve.
The Aussie A players bounced back well after the ragged 31-26 loss to Samoa in the opening match of the tournament to beat Fiji (32-18) and Tonga.
Winger Daugunu has relished playing in his Fijian homeland over the past few weeks with some of his best form since making his Wallaby debut in Wellington in late 2020.
Against Tonga, he scored two tries and had a hand in the two others scored while he was on the field for an influential 70 minutes.
Gleeson began the tournament as a reserve but quickly established himself as the team’s go-to forward for bulldozing ball-carries.
The NSW Waratahs backrower, in distinctive red headgear, was at it again against the Tongans. It took three defenders to pull him down early. He barreled over for one try and charged ahead through three defenders on the blindside to set up Daugunu’s second try.
Openside flanker Fraser McReight was in everything again. Those shortsighted critics wondering why he had been sent to Fiji rather than act as back-up in the Wallabies squad now have their clear answer.
He would not have played a Test minute against England but now has three solid showings against Samoa, Fiji and Tonga in the tank for Australia’s upcoming campaign in The Rugby Championship.
Centre Lalakai Foketi, young hooker Billy Pollard, with a fine game against Tonga, and lock Ryan Smith are among the others to lift their stocks from this tournament.
The Tongans went into the game without frontline stars Israel Folau and Charles Piutau but still made the A team take notice immediately. A strong rolling maul try to hooker Samiuela Moli just minutes into the game was a sign of things to come.
If the Aussie As were playing another game next week they would be practicing their defence against the rolling maul because it was the source of the three Tongan tries.
The Australians responded with an excellent try after 12 minutes when Daugunu finished with an acrobatic dot-down inside the right corner post.
He reached the line with the ball in his outstretched right hand to complete a fine build-up. Fellow winger Dylan Pietsch had made a bustling charge over the advantage line to get things started.
The ball was spun to the right where Ben Donaldson and Foketi relayed the ball to fullback Jock Campbell who timed his run perfectly. He took it to the line and passed to Daugunu who did the rest.
The Tongan resistance was strong until the Australians took charge in money time, that five-minute period just before and after half-time.
On half-time, impressive hooker Pollard swept around a well-won lineout and popped a neat ball inside to open space. Daugunu dashed onto it from the blind wing in a perfectly-executed set play.
The platform had been laid. Lonergan snapped a quick pass from the ruckbase which found Gleeson, who charged through the arms of two despairing defenders to score.
The 18-8 half-time lead mushroomed to 25-8 in the 44th minute when Daugunu was in the action again.
Flyhalf Donaldson hoisted a high kick from his own territory that the Tongans inexcusably let bounce just beyond halfway. The bounce skewed to Daugunu, who found flanker McReight inside.
McReight fired a fine, long right-to-left pass to give replacement centre Hamish Stewart an unchallenged run to the tryline for 25-8.
The Australians took the foot off the accelerator for periods over the closing 35 minutes. They still clicked with two more tries.
A Gleeson burst through would-be tacklers down the short side set up Daugunu’s second try just before the hour mark for 32-15.
The final score of the game went to the super subs. Brumbies prop Tom Ross carted the ball forward and popped a neat pass to Stewart. The Tongan defence was fractured and alert halfback James Tuttle scooted over from the next ruck.
The Tongans improved over the course of the tournament which was the whole aim because their big event is next Saturday at Sunshine Coast Stadium in Queensland. Victory over Hong Kong in their World Cup qualifier will book their passage to France next year.
AUSTRALIA A 39 (F Daugunu 2, L Gleeson, H Stewart, J Tuttle tries; R Lonergan 3 con, 2 pen goals, B Donaldson con) beat TONGA 22 (S Moli 2, J Fonokalafi tries; W Havili 2 con, pen goal)
