Rugby World Cup 2023, Australia-Portugal and South Africa-Tonga

Victories as predicted, but with a profoundly different flavor, those achieved today by South Africa and Australia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. The reigning world champion Springboks defeated Tonga 49-18 in Marseille in their last match in the first phase, closing Pool B with 15 points and securing qualification for the quarter-finals, momentarily at +1 over Ireland, who in the The last match will challenge Scotland (Saturday 7th in Saint-Denis), still in the running at 10. The most horrendous version in the history of the Wallabies at the World Cup instead defeated Portugal with difficulty 34-14 in Saint-Etienne, rising to share 11, momentarily in second place in Pool C: but considering that Wales (14) and Fiji (10) still have the comfortable matches available with Georgia (Saturday 7th in Nantes) and Portugal (Sunday 8th in Toulouse), less than unpredictable cataclysms, for the team of coach Eddie Jones (who, despite everything, has not yet resigned and, in fact, would like a contract until 2027) the tournament ends today.

MARSEILLE

—

William Havili from a free kick in the 3rd minute puts Tonga ahead, but two minutes pass and Cobus Reinach quickly takes a free kick alone a few meters from the goal, the Tongans have their backs turned thinking about a touch and so the scrum half finds his way wide open towards the flag. Canan Moodie’s lucky one in the 21st minute: Handre Pollard shoots towards prop Vincent Koch’s face, who hits it with his shoulder and invents an involuntary pass beyond the Tongan line to the centre, who collects it and flies under the posts. The third in the 32nd minute was signed by hooker Deon Fourie to complete the work of the maul from touch at 5 metres. Before the break, however, from a ruck on the goal line it was Ben Taimefina who found the opening to break through, making it 8-21 which led to the break. The bonus was signed in the 49th minute by Jesse Kriel, who completed the forwards’ tiring pick-and-goes from short range (he converted Pollard), in the 54th minute Fini Inisi responded, freed at the right corner flag by a nice pass from Havili, but the Springboks extended the lead in the 58th minute with Willie le Roux at the flag after the ball lost by Patrick Pellegrini and in the 64th minute with Marco van Staden, who only had to extend his arm following the fullback’s assist one step away from the line. Pellegrini’s try, who sprints after a lucky bounce, lifts Tonga’s morale a bit, but as time expires it is Kwagga Smith who crushes again under the posts after a last exhausting South African attack. South African tries all converted, by Pollard (4/4) and Manie Libbok (3/3)

SAINT ETIENNE

—

After Ben Donaldson’s save in the 4th minute, the Portuguese embarrassed the Wallabies for a good ten minutes, crowning their superiority with Pedro Bettencourt’s beautiful dive to the flag (Samuel Marqeus converted). The center, however, shortly after receives a yellow card for a high tackle and in superiority Australia turns it around with tries from Richie Arnold, on a break and offload from Rob Valetini, from Dave Porecki, finishing the work of the maul, and with the breakthrough from short range by Angus Bell, all converted by Donaldson. Fraser McRight’s try at the start of the second half, after a feint and assist from Mark Nawaqanitawase, is worth the bonus, but the Portuguese are not demoralised, on the contrary, first they are unlucky due to the try narrowly missed by hooker Mike Tadjer (who lets himself fall the ball a moment before crushing it), then, when they find themselves with two more men for the yellows to Matt Faessler and Samu Kerevi (the one from the center, high elbow directed at the opponent’s face, would clearly be a red card, but from the Tmo inexplicably they forgive him), they find the well-deserved goal in the 70th minute with third row Rafael Simoes, who collects from the foot of the scrum and breaks through (Marques converts). However, with numerical parity, Australia finds their fifth try with Marika Koroibete, who, more from the third line than as a winger, collects a ball in the ruck and smashes to the left flag.