The first quarter of the match was dominated by long stoppages and basic errors in the slippery conditions, with Tonga losing lock Harrison Mataele and hooker Siua Maile to injury inside the first ten minutes.
It was the Ikale Tahi who opened the scoring with a fourth minute penalty, after Samoa had spilled the kickoff and then conceded a penalty from a scrum. Samoa levelled the scores five minutes later before Henry Taefu s second penalty gave the Manu a 6-3 buffer on 13 minutes.
James Faiva (R) puts in a chip kick.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
After a cagey start to the match, in which both teams struggled to build phases and hold onto the ball it was Samoa who seized the initiative 15 minutes before the interval . A long raking kick pinned Tonga back inside their own 22. Samuel Slade stole the resulting lineout and the ball spun wide, with first five Rodney Iona s looping cut-out pass finding dynamic winger Ed Fidow, who raced away down the right-hand touchline to score the opening try
Marc Hinton19:20, Jul 03 2021
SKY SPORT
Māori All Blacks ease past Samoa again.
Job done. Clayton McMillan’s Māori All Blacks marked their 125th international appearance, and Otere Black’s farewell, by completing a clinical sweep of a gallant but outmatched Manu Samoa side at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday. Opening an historic Pasifika-themed double-header at the home of the Warriors, the Māori worked their usual mixture of forward grunt and backline enterprise to go two from two against the Samoans with a 38-21, six tries to three, victory. Backing up from last weekend’s convincing success over the same opponents in Wellington, this was another top-drawer effort from a side that continues to grace the international stage with aplomb. This was their 12th win from as many matches against the Samoans.
Manu Samoa centre Stacey Ili looks to offload.
Photo: Photosport
Skipper Ash Dixon s 22nd minute try from a rolling maul broke the deadlock, but Samoa hit back barely two minutes later.
First five-eighth Rodney Iona sparked the initial break, before finding winger Neria Fomai out wide on the left.
The scoreline remained at 7-7 until six minutes from halftime, when centre Billy Proctor s offload found Jonah Lowe who had too much pace for the cover defence.
The Māori All Blacks extended their lead right on the hooter, awarded a penalty try after Samoan flanker Sam Slade was yellow carded for a maul infringement
03/07/2021
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MÄori All Blacks 38 (Lowe x2, Wainui, Dixon, penalty tryx2, Ioane 1con, Black con) bt
Manu SamoaÂ
HT 19-7
Fulltime - That s a wrap. Better game than last week with Manu Samoa looking much more polished tonight. take the two penaty tries out of that one and it was a super close game.
80mins - Try Manu Samoa: Kalolo Tuiloma -Â Well deserved try, Pick and go and eventually the big prop crashes over to end the game on a high.
MAB 38-21
78mins - Manu Samoa looking for a a five-pointer to end. All-out attack from the visitors. Several phases with the MÄori giving away three penalties in two minutes.
New Zealand beats depleted Tonga 102-0 in rugby mismatch apnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from apnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.