Vatuvei inspires 12-man Tonga to win over Fiji 26-24 Featured
Manu Vatuvei performing the sipitau
7 May, 2017. Manu Vatuvei had always intended to play for Tonga, he just didn’t know when. After producing a bone rattling hit to help a 12-man Mate Ma'a Tonga snatch a 26-24 win over Fiji, the wing superstar and his team-mates were glad he made the decision now.
Vatuvei answered an SOS from Tonga coach Kristian Woolf to play in the Pacific Test after Michael Jennings, Solomone Kata and Konrad Hurrell were ruled out and came up with the play that enabled Leilani Latu scoring the match winning try in the 78th minute.
Down to 12 men for the final seven minutes after using their last interchange just moments before second rower Tony Williams was forced from the field with a knee injury, the Mate Ma’a were forced to dig deep to overcome a 24-20 deficit.
While there were a number of big plays as the tempo of the match reached finals-like intensity, the 77th minute tackle by Vatuvei to shake the ball loose from Fiji prop Kane Evans was the turning point.
A groggy Evans was forced from the field and Tonga scored in the next set of tackles on the Bati line after hooker Siliva Havili ran from dummy half before putting Latu over for his second try of the match.
“I had to put my body in front of him and do my best,” Vatuvei said.
“We only had 12 players. We thought we still had a lot of interchanges left and we were trying to call for one more person but we couldn’t get another one so we had to fight to the end and we couldn’t take it any lighter than that.”
The 31-year-old, who had previously played 29 Tests for New Zealand, also scored Tonga’s first try in the sixth minute.
“I was always going to play for Tonga at some stage, I just didn’t know when,” Vatuvei said.
“I knew how important it was for my family and when I told my mum and dad they cried so that was a really special moment for myself.”
Latu’s first try was almost identical to his second and came in the 11th minute as the Mate Ma’a raced to an early 10-0 lead.
However, Fiji hit the front through tries by Viliame Kikau and James Storer before Ben Nakubuwai scored a spectacular try after captain Kevin Naiqama batted the ball into the in-goal before it went dead from a Henry Raiwalui kick to give the Bati an 18-14 halftime lead.
Fiji went ahead again in the 65th minute after Daniel Saifiti replied to a Moses Suli try for Tonga with one of his own but the Mate Ma’a finished on top when Latu crossed under the posts to give Tuimoala Lolohea the simplest of conversions.
“It was a really tough performance,” Woolf said. “We can be a bit smarter, we put a fair bit of pressure on ourselves and didn’t build a lot of pressure at times either but there was a lot to like about in terms of effort and toughness.
“Manu was outstanding for us, I am glad he came into camp and he really showed his experience. I thought Daniel Tupou was outstanding too and some of our middle forwards really rolled their sleeves up so there was a lot to like.”
Tonga 26 (Leilani Latu 2, Manu Vatuvei, Daniel Tupou, Moses Suli tries; Ata Hinganao 2, Tuimoala Lolohea 1 goals)
Fiji 24 (Viliame Kikau, James Storer, Ben Nakubuwai, Daniel Saifiti tries; Apisai Koroisau 4 goals) at Campbelltown Stadium. Half-time: Fiji 18-14.
-RLWC2017
