Key events
KICK OFF!
Tonga’s William Havili kicks us off after referee Karl Dickson’s whistle.
Flower of Scotland is belted out in typical fashion. The National Song of Tonga follows. We’re good to go .. after the Sipi Tau of course.
There are former All Blacks everywhere in this Tongan side, notably No 8 Vaea Fifita who is an absolute powerhouse. Looking forward to watching him in action, while full-back Charles Piutau is another who will no doubt catch the eye.
The players will be out for the anthems soon.
Suffice to say Scotland need a bonus point win today – and probably in all their remaining games. Gregor Townsend has just said as much to the TV cameras, calling for his players to be “relentless”. It’s crazy that after just one game the Scots are already fretting about bonus points and qualification … such is the quality in this Pool B.
Ewan Ashman isn’t taking Tonga lightly at all. The Scotland hooker saw plenty of warning signs in their performance in the 59-16 defeat to Ireland that will be taken heed of.
“That Ireland-Tonga score isn’t reflective of Tonga as a team,” said the replacement hooker. “They have quality individuals and probably some of the biggest hitters in the world. They have got some class players as well. It’s a huge challenge.”
Tonga are unchanged from their defeat to Ireland, albeit with coach Toutai Kefu looking for a much-improved display as they look to topple one of the elite northern hemisphere nations.
Lock Adam Coleman is one of two changes to the bench – he of 38 Australia caps, the most recent of which came in 2019. He can make his Tonga debut if he comes on. No nation have handed out more debuts at this World Cup than Tonga.
There was no messing about from Scottish head coach Gregor Townsend when naming his team for this one, saying it’s as strong a lineup as he could have picked, four changes from the one beaten by South Africa two weeks ago. Winger Kyle Steyn and lock Scott Cummings come in, as do centre Chris Harris and loosehead Rory Sutherland.
We need to get our World Cup started. If we a lose a game now, we’re out of the tournament and we have to approach every game with that mentality. We didn’t play at our best against South Africa and we have to win the next three games. That’s the challenge ahead of us.
Today’s teams
Scotland: Kinghorn; Steyn, Harris, Tuipulotu, van der Merwe; Russell, White; Dempsey, Darge, Ritchie (c), Cummings, Gray, Z. Fagerson, Turner, Sutherland.
Replacements: Ashman, Schoeman, Nel, Skinner, M. Fagerson, Horne, Jones, Graham.
Tonga: Piutau; Kata, Fekitoa, Ahki, Taumoepeau; Havili, Pulu; V. Fifita, Talitui, Halaifonua, Lousi, H.Fifita, Tameifuna (captain), Ngauamo, Fisi’ihoi.
Replacements: Moli, Koloamatangi, Apikotoa, Coleman, Paea, Vailanu, Takulua, Pellegrini.
How Scotland would love a bit of the exultation being enjoyed by their counterparts in green right now. This is a good read on the other teams in Pool B:
Preamble
Happy Sunday! Goodness, it feels like a long time since Scotland played a game in this Rugby World Cup, doesn’t it?
Well that’s because it is; a fortnight to be precise since they were beaten 18-3 by South Africa in rather tame fashion. In that time, the Sprinboks and Ireland have ascended to the top two in Pool B – playing out a thriller in Paris on Saturday night – and Gregor Townsend’s side can afford no further slip-ups if they’re to make the quarter-finals.
Tonga have also been short of action, well beaten by Ireland in their only game so far eight days ago. It may take a while, then, for these sides to shake off the rustiness when they meet in Nice this afternoon. We’ll run you through the teams soon before the action begins. Do stay tuned.
