England vs Tonga Match Preview
England boss Brian Ashton has “total confidence” in his players to keep their World Cup dream alive on Friday night and book a knockout clash against Australia.
The Wallabies showdown in Marseille on Saturday week will not materialise though, unless England topple tournament surprise package Tonga.
England are faced with a simple equation - beat Tonga at Parc des Princes and they march on; lose, and a weekend flight home beckons.
No reigning champion has exited at the pool stage in five previous Rugby World Cups, and England do not intend creating a humiliating piece of history.
There were signs during last Saturday’s victory over Samoa that England have started to turn a corner following their record 36-0 World Cup defeat against South Africa eight days previously.
With fly-half Jonny Wilkinson again in the driving seat, their next stop should be the south of France, rather than Heathrow.
Head coach Ashton said: “If we don’t win this game, we go home.
“I think Tonga are probably a stronger side at the moment than Samoa, and it is going to be a tough game.
“But there is a sense of anticipation, as opposed to anxiety, this week. I think it is fair to say all the players are really anticipating the match.
“I have got total confidence in the 22 players who are going out there that they are going to do the job.”
England expect a far sterner challenge in the set-pieces from Tonga than Samoa mustered, with the back-row presence of skipper Nili Latu and number eight Finau Maka posing a considerable twin threat.
England skipper Martin Corry added: “We’ve looked at them very closely, and certainly Maka and Latu, their defensive work and handling of the ball in this competition, we haven’t seen anything better.
“It would be wrong to single out those two if you look at the pack, their lineout play, their lineout drive, the way they pick and go and the way they turn slow ball into fast ball.
“They’ve posed every single team in the group a lot of problems by doing that. That is something we have to stop because it is a real threat.
“We are going to have to win the game, and we expect to win the game, but that is taking nothing away from Tonga.
“They are coming into this game full of confidence, but we are just focusing on ourselves.
“We are a team which also has momentum, which in terms of our expectations and ambitions, we are looking to improve on what we did against Samoa.”
Ashton’s bold call in selection means no starting place for World Cup captain Phil Vickery, who features among the replacements after serving a two-match ban.
Corry retains the leadership role, with Matt Stevens staying at tighthead prop despite Vickery’s re-emergence, and two changes from the Samoa encounter see lock Steve Borthwick and flanker Lewis Moody gain start ahead of Simon Shaw and Joe Worsley, respectively.
Vickery, Worsley and Lawrence Dallaglio give the England bench a powerful feel, and it is that strength in reserve which could ultimately negate Tongan hopes of causing a monumental upset.
Tonga, meanwhile, are ready to “throw the kitchen sink” at England.
The Pacific Islanders, rated as pre-tournament cannon fodder for the likes of England and South Africa, are one win away from their first World Cup quarter-final appearance.
While England still start as favourites, Tonga intend making life distinctly uncomfortable as the reigning world champions target the runners-up spot in Pool A behind South Africa.
Tonga captain Latu memorably claimed his team had thrown “the petrol tank - and the car included” at South Africa in Lens last Saturday after they came within a converted try of claiming an astounding victory over the Springboks.
“We are going to throw the kitchen sink at England,” said Latu, who is still battling a hamstring injury that restricted his training this week.
“People back home have been over the moon with what we have done in this tournament, and it is rewarding for us to see where the country is now.
“Even being here is bringing Tongans together as one, but it’s not just for us.
“We are here to do a job an
d change the face of rugby in the Islands, and in Tonga especially. This is going to benefit the country.”
Tonga are boosted by the return from suspension of New Zealand-based flanker Hale T Pole, who packs down in the back-row alongside Latu and Toulouse number eight Finau Maka.
Behind the scrum, meanwhile, Tonga can call on their experienced fly-half Pierre Hola and former Newcastle centre Epi Taione to attempt to make in-roads.
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