England v Tonga

[AllezWasps]

Will England become the first team to be nilled twice in one tournament?!
[/b]

....What? :huh:

 

[jackalp]

is it such a far stretch for tonga to win? i mean SA beat england 33-0, and the tongans only lost by 5. granted, that was the Boks "B team", but even once the bench of death had come on, the tongans managed to put away a few tries.

that said, I think that Wilkinson will be taking all the points he can...probably another lackluster English win..

 

[Bail]

I think England should prevail. Wilkinson came back, and he knows exactly what his team must do to beat the Tongans. Gain of territory by the English will end the Tongan hopes.
I even think if England win easily, they will have a good chance against Australia.

 

[Juggernaut]

The reason why I think Tonga will win is because they have a 5/8 who's got a good boot on him. It's made by Adidas I think...or Nike...not sure though but it's good.



Seriously though, for Tonga to nullify Englands pack, they should rely on Hola's kicking game, ping England back in their own half and slug it out there. England dont have a backline to worry about...so play them in their own game with pick & drive, mauls, and milk a penalty....or take drop-goals (5 would be good).



Win it the English way...the ugly way.



Tonga by 5.

 

[Fushitsusha]

I even think if England win easily, they will have a good chance against Australia.
[/b]

A good chance of losing by less than 20...

 

[THE CHIROPRACTOR101]

yeah well my mind says england..but ofcourse my heart will go out to the tongans...coz thats how us islanders roll around here...especially when the irb do **** all to help us (other than throw us alltogether and call us "the pacific island team" then immediately ship lauaki and sivivatu to the allblacks in the hope that it will make the p.i game grow)

so go tonga...they have nili latu and if he doesnt give away to many penalties or a yellow card he can pest wilkinson and there rucks all day..english need to play there game and not directly meet the tongans in open play..its dangerous coz anything can happen for either side..they jus need to play to there strengths and they are penalties away from a win..however the tongans need to do the opposite and force the english to make quick decisions and thats where latu comes in as the disrupter..but they need to consistant in everything they do BARRING penalties..and they should have a greater chance of causing the upset of the tournament...even the upset of all time

go TONGA!

 

[bangbangtim]

Lol, I know that England aren't the same team as they were a while back..but surely we are good enough to beat Tonga!! IF we don't, we deserve to be knocked out. With Wilkinson kicking the points and maybe Sackey doing well again, we should win "comfortably". But then watching England play any sport always makes me nervous...

Sorry..just to add a comment now that I have looked at the team. I am very surprised matthew tait has kept his place with hipkiss on the bench. I watched hipkiss play a bit for leicester and he's absolutely awesome, far better than tait who really hasn't done anything this world cup!!!

But I think the team they have put out is still good enough to win against Tonga, stevens instead of vickery is a brave move but i think the right one.

 

[Frostie]

I am very surprised matthew tait has kept his place with hipkiss on the bench. I watched hipkiss play a bit for leicester and he's absolutely awesome, far better than tait who really hasn't done anything this world cup!!!

But I think the team they have put out is still good enough to win against Tonga, stevens instead of vickery is a brave move but i think the right one.
[/b]

Spot on, gutted Robinson didn't make it too.

 

[Fa'atau82]

Tonga need to keep the ball loose, run their backs as much as possible, and use Hola's kicking to pin England back territory wise. Tonga will contest the rucks and the cause damage in the loose, and will give England a major headache. Lineout ball would help Tonga, but P.I teams are notorious at poor lineout.

I think Wilko will be key here as he is a great kicker and will simply slot them from anywhere like he did vs Samoa.

 

[stormmaster1]

Wilko's kicking from hand may be more important than his goalkicking. If the forwards can get into the Tongan lineout then Wilko making touch pinning them back then regaining possession at the lineout could win the game.

 

[Tarasque]

The crowd will support Tonga so my bet go to Tonga. :bana:
Sorry England.

 

[36crazyfist]

if tonga played like they did against the boks, and england play like the boks did against tonga, england will definitely lose...

think if they can keep the penalty count down, it's going to be damn close.

england are very inconsistent at the moment. they can either play one hell of a good game, or go down in flames...

i hope tonga win, but i think england will most likely win by the narrowest of margins...

 

[Bullitt]

England team to face Tonga:
15. Lewsey;
14. Sackey,
13. Tait,
12. Barkley,
11.Cueto;
10. Wilkinson,
9. Gomarsall;
1. Sheridan,
2. Chuter,
3. Stevens,
4. Borthwick,
5. Kay,
6. Corry (capt),
7. Moody,
8. Easter

Replacements: L Mears, P Vickery, L Dallaglio, J Worsley, P Richards, A Farrell, D Hipkiss

I could pick various holes in that, but again the biggest being Panface of Tribus Northernus Mutantus on the bench while Flood isn't even in the squad (ROB ANDREW, Cee You Next Tuesday) and Hipkiss being a bench warmer for the over-rated little ballsack, sorry, Tait.

Otherwise a reasonable team considering the players available.

 

[boydy]

My prediction is a close game in the first half with england running away with it in the second. Even though I would love to see Tonga win

 

[Juggernaut]

and what a GOLD statement from Tongan centre, Epeli Taione.

"This is the biggest moment in our sporting history. We know that we have a lot of support and I know everyone will be cheering, including Scotland, Wales, every country ... maybe even Iraq," he said.



"Anywhere that doesn't like England will be wanting us to win."

[/b]

Add all the middle-eastern countries and you will have the most support.

 

[Fushitsusha]

[/size]England team to face Tonga:
15. Lewsey;
14. Sackey,
13. Tait,
12. Barkley,
11.Cueto;
10. Wilkinson,
9. Gomarsall;
1. Sheridan,
2. Chuter,
3. Stevens,
4. Borthwick,
5. Kay,
6. Corry (capt),
7. Moody,
8. Easter

Replacements: L Mears, P Vickery, L Dallaglio, J Worsley, P Richards, A Farrell, D Hipkiss
[/b]

If England do win this game, I really hope they field the same team against Australia.

 

[Tarasque]

Wow this is not a try but rather a touhdown, well done England.

 

[RC]

I don't care from which country you hail, to see a competent Wilkinson play is just a joy to watch.
Without Johnny there in the first half things could have easily fallen apart for England, but he held it together and the team responded to his great rugby mind.
England deservedly in the lead thanks to Johnny's brilliant thinking.

 

[An Tarbh]

and such was his quality that it gifted Tonga a try, that wasn't a joy to watch.

Oh dear jesus Ashton what are you playing at?

 

[Cymrurugbyfan]

England 19 - 13 Tonga -- 56th minutes.

Cueto breaks through, a try was on, he DOESN'T PASS OMG. But luckily for HIM, Tait crosses over a few seconds later. Nice one!

England 26 - 13 Tonga -- 57th minute.

That was a quick turn-around