Scotland 45-17 Tonga: Gregor Townsend’s side claim bonus point win to keep Rugby World Cup quarter-final hopes alive

Scotland came through a tricky test against Tonga to record a 45-17 victory in Nice, marking their first win of the Rugby World Cup.

Gregor Townsend’s side came into this game knowing that only a win would maintain any lingering hope of an unlikely quarter-final qualification, following the Bravehearts’ defeat to South Africa in their opener, and Ireland’s perfect start to in Pool B, beating both Tonga and the Springboks to sit pretty at the top of the group.

For the Scots, they opened the scoring early, through George Turner, the Glasgow hooker, on five minutes, with the no. 2 dotting down from a rolling maul that just kept going, splitting the Tongan defence all too easily.

William Havili got the Sea Eagles up and running with a penalty five minutes later, and the Pacific Islanders took a shock lead as the match reached its quarter-point. Salesi (formerly Charles) Piutau, the Tonga full-back, was at the heart of the move, bursting into the attacking line to penetrate the space on the blindside. The Bristol no. 15 then showed quick hands and thinking to offload quite brilliantly to the onrushing Solomone Kata on the overlap, with the winger touching down in the corner to throw a spanner into the Scottish system.

That lead did not last for long as Duhan van der Merwe, so often Scotland’s clinical finisher, had his try on 26 minutes. Some strong scrummaging from the Scots was followed up by some expert execution through the hands, ending with a sumptuous, popped set-up by Sione Tuipulotu, the inside centre, to set up van der Merwe to crash onto it and slide over in the corner.

Kyle Steyn, the opposite Scotland winger, opened his World Cup account four minutes later, with their patient build-up rewarded. Finn Russell, so often the metronomic orchestrator in the middle of midfield, showed great awareness to pick out the onrushing Steyn, putting perfect pace on the ball for the Glasgow winger to burst onto, giving him enough momentum to penetrate the Tongan backline and cross the whitewash.

A high tackle on Jamie Ritchie by Afusipa Taumoepeau, the Tonga winger, saw him sinbinned on 34 minutes, with TMO Ben Whitehouse reviewing the decision off-field after the replay showed a clash of heads between the pair in the collision.

With the final action of the first half, Rory Darge broke free of a Tongan tackle to extend the Scotland advantage, sending Townsend’s troops in 24-10 at the break.

Tonga got their perfect restart in the early exchanges of the second half, as captain Ben Tameifuna battled over the Scotland tryline to bring them within a converted try after another accurate Havili conversion, but the Bravehearts quickly restored parity as replacement scrum-half George Horne went over after fantastic play from van der Merwe once more, with the winger persistence personified down the left before feeding Horne, who dotted down in the corner on 55 minutes.

Blair Kinghorn, the full-back, strengthened his case to be Stuart Hogg’s long-term replacement as he went over 12 minutes from time, and it was Russell and Tuipulotu at the centre of the Scottish build-up once more, flashing the ball quickly into the path of the no.15, who burst into the open space and touched down for another Scotland score.

Darcy Graham, the substitute winger, added a final flourish to the scoreline as he broke away in the dying embers of the game to send a statement of intent out from the Scots.

Job done for Scotland, who keep their qualification flame alight, and they can look to build on this when they face Romania next weekend.

It was thought to be a bit of a banana skin for Townsend’s men, particularly with the physicality brought to the table by the Tongans, but Scotland just had too much for their Pacific counterparts, and at times, beat them at their own game.

The gulf in class was evident – that was known prior to kick-off – but the athleticism shown by this Scottish side was majorly impressive.

They held firm at the breakdown and in the scrum, utilising their experience to force the Tongans into errors and give away cheap penalties, while the backs were able to break free of many a flailing Tongan challenge.

Van der Merwe showcased his star quality once more off the flank, bulldozing his way over for a try that should bolster his morale going into the crunch game against Ireland in two weeks’ time.

It could have been Russell, it could have been Tuipulotu, but it just had to be van der Merwe, didn’t it?

An uncharacteristically quiet start from the winger was quickly forgotten as he darted infield just shy of 10 minutes in his first real involvement.

The fear in the Tonga defence was palpable, and the Edinburgh wide man did what he does best: scoring tries and bullying defenders.

If Scotland are to get through this tough pool, they will need their talismanic finisher firing on all cylinders.

Scotland: Kinghorn 7, Steyn 7, Harris 6, Tuipulotu 7, van der Merwe 8, Russell 8, White 6, Sutherland 6, Turner 7, Fagerson 6, Gray 6, Cummings 6, Ritchie 6, Darge 6, Dempsey 6. Replacements: Graham 7, Jones 6, Horne 6, Schoeman 6, Ashman 6, Nel 6, Skinner 6, Fagerson 6.

Tonga: Piutau 6, Kata 6, Fekitoa 6, Ahki 6, Taumoepeau 5, Havili 7, Pulu 6, Fisiihoi 6, Ngauamo 6, Tameifuna 6, Fifita 6, Lousi 6, Halaifonua 6, Havili 6, Fifita 6. Replacements: Pellegrini 6, Takulua 6, Koloamatangi 6, Moli 6, Apikotoa 6, Coleman 6, Vailanu 6, Paea 6.

5′: TRY! The maul drives on, and it’s George Turner who touches down for the Scots! You’d have thought Ben White would have taken the ball from the back of the maul, but instead the pack ploughs through the middle of the Tonga defence, and the hooker Turner dots down for the first score of the game. Russell adds the extras, and Scotland are in front.

20′: TRY! Tonga are ahead, and it’s Charles Piutau creating something from nothing, and it’s worked beautifully through the hands. Piutau drives through the space down the blindside, offloading brilliantly into the path of the onrushing Solomone Kata overlapping tight to the touchline, and the winger touches down in the corner! Havili, left-footed, has a chance to extend the lead here, and he curls in for the full seven points!

26′: TRY! Duhan van der Merwe has his try, and Scotland weren’t behind for long. A good scrum is worked down the line with expert execution, with Tuipulotu showing quick thinking – and hands – to set up the winger, who crashes onto the ball at pace and past the tryline to put the Scots back in charge. Russell can’t add the extras from the touchline, but the Bravehearts are two points ahead.

30′: TRY! Steyn scores, and Scotland have a second try in just four minutes. They’re patient in their build-up, and Finn Russell shows great awareness to pick Steyn down the right side. He puts great zip into the pass, putting the movement and pace on the ball for the winger to stretch the Tonga defence, and the no. 14 bursts through to slide over the line. Russell hits the post with his next conversion, and the lead stays at five.

34′: YELLOW CARD Jamie Ritchie is tackled high by Afusipa Taumopeau, as the pair’s heads clash nastily in the collision. Ritchie, the flanker, is getting treatment as the TMO Ben Whitehouse reviews it, and the Tongan winger is sinbinned, but that’ll be reviewed off-field.

42′: TRY! They’ve broken through from the scrum, as Rory Darge breaks free and dots down. Dempsey made the initial no. 8 pickup, and he was held up first time around. Darge breaks through a tackle and stumbles over the line, with Russell adding the extras.

44′: TRY! That’s exactly the restart that Tonga wanted, and it’s Ben Tameifuna who rumbles through, collapsing over the line. They’re back in the game! Havili gets the job down off the tee.

55′: TRY! What a passage of play, and the ultimate reward for sheer determination. George Horne, the replacement scrum-half. touches down, but it’s all about van der Merwe, who uses Tongan defenders like skittles, knocking them down with his pace and power, before feeding Horne, who dots down in the corner. Russell knocks it over, and Scotland are 31-17 up.

68′: TRY! Kinghorn has his try, and Scotland have another. The match – and the five points – is safe. Russell and Tuipulota are lynchpins once more, and it’s fired into Kinghorn who bursts onto the scene late, and drives into the open space to touch down. Russell adds the extras, and Scotland are home and dry. 38-17.

80′: TRY! A final flourish from Darcy Graham, who breaks away, showing his twinkletoes, and adds his own personal touch to the scoreline to finish things off.

• Scotland gained 719 metres, compared to Tonga’s 339m.