Owing to Covid-related travel challenges, Nic Berry, Damon Murphy and Graham Cooper (all Australia) are unable to travel to New Zealand for the New Zealand versus Fiji match at Forysth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday, 10 July .

As a result, the match officials for the two matches this weekend are as follows:

Manu Samoa v Tonga
Referee - Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant Referees: Angus Mabey (AR1) & Marcus Playle (AR2)
TMO – Glenn Newman
KO: 4.30pm, Saturday 10 July

@stargazer do you reckon number 6’s parents were Houston Rocket fans in the 90’s

@Stargazer were the Maori All Black games not counted as caps?

@mikey07 Not a test match.

@stargazer I thought they were counted I remember talk about how they’d be caps

@mikey07 I can't see how they could be otherwise games between the Manu and the Irish All Blacks (or the Fijian All Blacks), for example, should also be accorded test status.

A couple of things, weirdly I can't find this game on Stan, but next weeks game is. Some weird rights things going on with Stan where Samoa is involved this year.

Also, I thought Samoa would have rushed Cowley-Tuioti in.

@nepia He's probably not allowed to play for Samoa if he wants a Japanese contract.

Probably see him turning out for Japan in a few years like they all do.

@stargazer said in Manu Samoa v Tonga 1 (RWC Qualifier):

View image

I won't mention how many of those names I'm familiar with even though I watched the match last Saturday...

@mikey07 said in Manu Samoa v Tonga 1 (RWC Qualifier):

@stargazer I thought they were counted I remember talk about how they’d be caps

It’s upto each nation when to award caps. Normal both sides do but not always in history. So if Manu wanted to award caps vs Maori, they could have

@machpants I see thanks for the clarification.

Just in case you hadn't noticed. This game won't be on Sky Sport 1, but on Sky Sport 2.

@stargazer said in Manu Samoa v Tonga 1 (RWC Qualifier):

View embedded content

I like this:

HOW DID THEY QUALIFY LAST TIME AROUND?

Tonga qualified as one of the top-two ranked teams across Pacific Nations Cup 2016 and 2017, finishing runners-up to Fiji and taking the Oceania 2 spot. Samoa advanced to an Oceania/Europe play-off against Germany, which they won 108-43, on aggregate, to book their place at England 2019 as the Play-Off Qualifier.

I'm with you, World Rugby... Japan 2019 didn't happen. ALL results from England 2015 should have just carried across to England 2019.

@kruse Haha, I bet they copied from an old document.

@stargazer said in Manu Samoa v Tonga 1 (RWC Qualifier):

@kruse Haha, I bet they copied from an old document.

Yep - that's a classic copy-paste from the previous version of that document, and missing one little bit to update

Is no one watching this?
Good game so far.
Loving all of the CM players getting international experience. Sam Slade has come on in leaps and bounds the last few weeks.

@crucial good competitive game - very even so far.

@crucial I was, but have to watch the rest later.

3-0 Tonga after 17

This is more competitive so far than I feared it might be.

@crucial said in Manu Samoa v Tonga 1 (RWC Qualifier):

Loving all of the CM players getting international experience. Sam Slade has come on in leaps and bounds the last few weeks.

Probably his last npc this year. Going to France

Play the whistle. Even kids know that.

This game is pretty shit.

Can't agree with that by the TMO. Looked like a strip and the regather didn't go forward to my eye.

“12 penalties only in 38 minutes”, “great discipline from both teams”
Come on Laban‍️

Hopefully this remains a close game so it's all on for next week.

Sorry but if you're the coach of a Pasifika team you would think you could manage to pronounce some of the simpler words correctly. Like the word "Samoa"...

Great try

That's a well taken try down the short side.: Draw, pass, draw and pass...

Samoa switched gears by the looks

Ray Niuia having a great game,now he is over his injuries he starting to play like he did for The Mako$.

@antipodean said in Manu Samoa v Tonga 1 (RWC Qualifier):

That's a well taken try down the short side.: Draw, pass, draw and pass...

Basics!

Not a good period of play for Tonga, losing their shape and impact in defence.

As I speak, Tonga strike back and well.

For those not watching, 21 - 10 to Samoa with 25 mins left to play

Samoa with a converted try from the sideline. 28 - 10

Teams looking tired on defence.

Gotta question Tonga going for 3 when they're 18 points down.

FT: 42 - 13 to Samoa.