Kata helps Tonga to victory over Chile
By Mark Stevens
14/11/22
Exeter Chiefs back Solomone Kata helped Tonga make it two wins from two this Autumn as they brushed past Chile 32-10 in Bucharest on Saturday.
The physicality of the Ikale Tahi proved too much for Los Cóndores, who struggled to find gaps in a staunch Tongan defense.
A long-range penalty goal from Otumaka Mausia put the Tongans on the board first after six minutes. Chile would then earned a scoring opportunity, opting for the corner instead of the posts, but lost their feet the breakdown and turned over possession.
Another Mausia attempt from just inside his own half rang loudly off the upright. Tonga turned down an easier kick for a lineout, but their throw wasn’t straight. Instead their own discipline faltered and Santiago Videla scored Chile’s first points of the day off the kicking tee.
William Havili cancelled Videla’s score with a penalty of his own moments later, then the Tongans would grab the game’s first try. Sam Lousi cantered through the line, connected with Augustine Pulu, and took the return pass in under the posts with the extras from Havili making it 13-3 at halftime.
Not long after the game restarted that Tonga were in for a second try. It was Pulu himself this time, slicing through a hole in the Chilean defense near the back of a lineout. Next to score was Tima Fainga’anuku on a long run-in after a break up the middle from fellow winger Kata.
Solomone Funaki reached out to score from close range to put the result beyond doubt near the hour mark. Chile would yet have a say, however, after repeat team infringements landed David Lolohea a 10-minute spell in the sin bin.
Eventually the Cóndores would drive over a maul with Diego Escobar at the back. Videla put them into double digits with the conversion, but Lolohea would grab one more try for the Tongans on the stroke of full-time with Havili’s fifth successful kick of the day closing out proceedings.
The Tongans will stay in Bucharest to play Uruguay in a neutral-venue clash this weekend.