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Springboks hold on to beat Tonga

AP, LENS, FRANCE
Sunday, Sep 23, 2007, Page 24

Ruan Pienaar scored two tries Saturday for South Africa to win 30-25 over Tonga and ensure it will top Group A at the Rugby World Cup.

In a thrilling, end-to-end match at the Stade Felix Bollaert, the Springboks took a 17-point lead only for Tonga to fight back. South Africa scored three second-half tries in six minutes to lead 27-10 after having trailed 10-7 just after half-time -- before Tonga answered with two quick tries to cut the margin to 27-22 in the 75th.

Backrowers Bobby Skinstad and Juan Smith also scored as South Africa picked up four tries for a bonus point. It will likely meet either Wales or Fiji in the quarter-finals in Marseille on Oct. 7.

Tonga, which had tries from Kisi Pulu, Sukanaivalu Hufanga and Viliami Vaki, also earned a bonus point and will advance to the quarterfinals by beating England in Paris on Friday.

White had made 11 changes to his team from the 36-0 win over England on Sept. 14 at the Stade de France, retaining only lock Bakkies Botha, flankers Wickus van Heerden and Danie Rossouw and winger J.P. Pietersen.

The lack of combination told early for the Springboks. When captain and No. 8 Skinstad swooped on a ball and was ruled offside, Tonga led 3-0 through flyhalf Pierre Hola's ninth-minute penalty.

South Africa flyhalf Andre Pretorius missed an easy penalty from 25 meters out in front in the 11th. Five minutes later, he missed a more difficult wide chance on the right flank. So when South Africa received another penalty in the 18th, Pienaar took a quick tap and ran 20m to score out wide.

Tonga had a try disallowed in the 25th when Hola's cut-out pass to loosehead prop Soane Tonga'uiha on the wing was ruled forward after an initial break by captain and openside flanker Nili Latu. From that scrum, Skinstad fed winger Ashwin Willemse down the blindside and he ran 50m before being tackled into touch.

South Africa was dominant in the set-piece, but Pretorius missed a 45-meter penalty in the 29th after Tonga's scrum had infringed. Then, a stolen lineout saw Pietersen brought down just short after a sweeping move, before a poor pass by center Wynand Olivier to an unmarked Willemse ruined yet another scoring chance.

In the 32nd, Willemse dropped the ball over the line in a tackle by opposing winger Joseph Vaka after a sniping blindside run from scrumhalf Enrico Januarie, ensuring Tonga somehow only trailed 7-3 at half-time.

Four minutes into the second half, Tonga took the lead when Pulu barged his way over from close range as No. 8 Finau Maka implored the crowd to continue its chants of ``Tonga'' by waving his arms.

Hola kicked the conversion and Tonga led 10-7, prompting White to bring on four of his first-choice players _ Smith, Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana and Francois Steyn -- to try and reclaim the initiative.

In the 48th, Pretorius missed his fourth penalty, and Tonga went on the attack. Hola's clever kick for winger Tevita Tu'ifua was taken on the fly and his subsequent chip had to be carried over the sideline by Pienaar.

South Africa flanker Danie Rossouw was carried off the field on a stretcher with an apparent neck injury.

The Springboks drew level at 10-10 in the 54th when Steyn kicked a 40-meter penalty after Tonga was offside.

Smith scored in the 59th following Habana's catch off a precise chip by Pienaar. The ball was spread to the far wing where prop Gurthro Steenkamp's charge was just halted, but Smith scored on the next phase.

Percy Montgomery made the conversion for 17-10. And the Springboks led 22-10 two minutes later when Skinstad fended off fullback Vungakoto Lilo to score in the corner.

South Africa scored its third try in six minutes to earn a bonus point in the 65th. Pietersen beat several tackles before finding John Smit, who passed to Matfield and he fed Pienaar to score his second touchdown for 27-10.

In the 70th, Tonga pulled back to 27-15 when center Sukanaivalu Hufanga caught Hola's kick to score out wide.

Two minutes later, Tu'ifua caught a kick from Montgomery, ran 30 meters before popping a pass to Lilo, whose kick ahead allowed blindside flanker Viliami Vaki to beat Matfield in a race and score for Tonga to trail 27-22.

Montgomery and Hola kicked late penalties to set up a thrilling finish, but the clock ultimately beat Tonga.
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