Saxons book final place in trying times for Tonga
By RFU Press Release
June 13 2011
ENGLAND SAXONS booked their place in the Churchill Cup final against Canada by destroying the Tonga pack in the Kingsholm rain.
ENGLAND SAXONS booked their place in the Churchill Cup final against Canada by destroying the Tonga pack in the Kingsholm rain. Stuart Lancaster’s side were awarded a hat-trick of penalty tries as a Jordan Crane inspired forward effort took Tonga apart with the captain himself and Billy Twelvetrees also getting on the scoresheet. It sets up a repeat of last year’s final against the Canucks - England won 38-18 - and Saxons Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “I thought our scrummaging was outstanding. We gave a couple of kgs away per man but technically we were better. If you’d have said at the start of the game that we were going to win 41-14 I would have taken that. Our objective was to reach the final and now we want to win it – last year Canada gave us a real hard game and I am sure it will be the same this time.” Tonga will now play Italy A or Russia in the Plate final and their coach Isitolo Maka said: “It was a very tough match. I am very disappointed with the penalty tries. Without them we would have been in the game.”
The Saxons broke through after just 11 minutes when referee Roman Poite lost patience with the collapsing Tongan scrum and awarded a penalty try which Rory Clegg converted. And four minutes later they were 14-0 up when Crane picked up and drove over to give Clegg another two points. Tonga struggled to make any inroads into the Saxons 22 with their only good run coming from centre Suka Hufanga but the move broke down. The Saxons pack were in the ascendency as they sent the Tongan scrum upwards and backwards and Poite headed to the posts for another penalty try. Right on halftime Clegg made it 24-0 with a penalty and the Saxons continued to turn the screw early in the second half when the fly half landed another. However, Tonga refused to throw in the towel and they were rewarded for their endeavour to take the line-out rather than penalty kick when captain Kisi Pulu took the ball at the back and when the ball was recycled Scarlets bound- Sione Timani drove over.
But it was small respite as the Saxons forwards overpowered their opponents in another scrum and Poite awarded a hat-trick of penalty tries in the 63rd minute and Ofa Fainga'anuku was yellow carded for his sins. Mike Brown made an impact when he came on and made a midfield break before Crane showed some deft footwork with a grubberkick for Twelvetrees to gather and score. That was the end of Twelvetrees’ involvement as he was sent to the sinbin and Pepa Kolomotangi scored a consolation try when he picked up and drove over. England Saxons: A Goode (M Brown 55); C Sharples, H Trinder (J Turner-Hall 58), B Twelvetrees, T Ojo; R Clegg, P Hodgson (M Young 63); M Mullan (K Brookes 63), D Paice (J Gray 55), M Stevens, M Botha, D Attwood, J Gaskell (G Kitchener 69), T Johnson (J Gibson 72) J Crane (capt). Yellow cards: Twelvetrees 73 Scorers: Tries: pen try (3); Crane, Twelvetrees; Pens: Clegg (2); Cons: Clegg (5) Tonga: E Paea; V Helu, S Hufanga, S Fonua, V Iongi; K Morath, D Morath (S Havea 55); T Lea'aetoa (O Fainga'anuku 55), S Telefoni (A Halangahu 58), K Polu (capt), S Timani (T Ula 63) E Kauhenga (P Hehea 47), J Afu, P Koloamatangi, P Mapakaitolo (Lea'aetoa 62). Reps (not used): M Malupo, S Taumoepeau. Scorers: Tries: Timani, Kolomotangi;Cons: K Morath (2). Yellow card: O Fainga'anuku 62-72 Referee: R Poite (French) Att: 5357 |
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
England Saxons prop Matt Stevens tackles Tonga Lea’aetoa at Kingsholm
Simon Hardy watched England Saxons overwhelm Tonga at the scrum and lineout and admitted: “As a forwards coach you couldn’t ask for any more.”
The Saxons booked their place in next weekend’s Churchill Cup final against Canada with a 41-14 win against the islanders at Kingsholm.
They were awarded three penalty tries by referee Romain Poite as Tonga’s scrum was dismantled ruthlessly – and dominated the lineout to such an extent that they stole the ball on seven successive occasions.
Captain Jordan Crane scored one try and made another for Leicester Tigers teammate Billy Twelvetrees with Harlequins fly half Rory Clegg adding 16 points with five conversions and two penalties.
“I’ve never seen a game with three penalty tries where we’ve been so dominant,” said Hardy, who oversees the forward operation under head coach Stuart Lancaster.
“As a group we did our homework, looked at what they did and how they scrummaged. We talk as a front row, then get the rest of the forwards to buy into it and then it becomes an eight-man operation. It was one of those lucky days when it all went right.
“The lineout is down to hard work, looking at how we’re going to defend, looking at how they throw, their options and movements, putting the right people in the right places.
“James Gaskell was just phenomenal in terms of his movement and you’ve got to have two guys to put him up in the air. In the morning we were in a corridor in the hotel just rehearsing the movements – where we say ‘If they go here, we’ll go there’ and speeding reactions up.
“In all we had a magnificent day and as a forwards coach you couldn’t ask for any more.”
Worcester Warriors prop Matt Mullan, London Irish hooker David Paice and Saracens’ Matt Stevens faced France-based front row trio Tonga Lea’aetoa, Semiei Telefoni and Kisi Pulu.
Mullan said: “It was slightly unexpected. We knew it would be tough up front and it was physical - there are a few sore bodies around - but to come out on top was very pleasing.
“We watched them on Wednesday and you pick up a couple of things you think might work. It’s nothing too secret – you have things that you work on as a pack and pick up on things that they do or don’t do and take advantage.”
Exeter Chiefs flanker Tom Johnson – playing his second game on the open side – hopes to continue his progress against Canada next weekend.
Johnson said: “There’s a nice balance to the back row and I’m enjoying playing seven at the moment. It’s just all carried on from the way the season’s gone with the Chiefs.
“The coaches have helped me massively to get me to where I am and these boys here are a real good bunch and it’s just about fitting in with everyone’s game plan. [Head coach] Stuart Lancaster has a real good philosophy on how we’re going to play and we’re all buying into it.
“Canada will have had two games to look at us and I’m sure they’ll be up to speed and prepared for what we can bring. You’ve seen two styles of rugby in two games from us.”
The Saxons – 87-8 winners against the USA last weekend – top Pool A and meet Canada next Saturday at Sixways (4.30pm). The USA face Russia in the Bowl final (12pm) and Italy A meet Tonga in the Plate final (2.15pm).