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Portugal came from behind twice to beat Tonga 32-28 at Princess Auto Stadium, a result that keeps them near the top of Pool A in the World Rugby Nations Cup and leaves the Pacific islanders with plenty to sort out after a third-round defeat.
This was a match Tonga could and probably should have controlled. They scored four tries, led at three separate stages and carried with real intent, but they kept giving Portugal a way back in. Poor discipline, three yellow cards and a leaky spell after half time cost them, and Portugal took full advantage.
O. Pauta (16'), T. Filimone (24'), T. Veainu (47'), S. Kata (63')
Tries
R. Storti (20', 43'), M. Pinto (29'), N. Mascarenhas (34'), A. Cunha (61')
P. Pellegrini (48')
Conversions
S. Marques (21', 35')
P. Pellegrini (5', 12')
Penalties
S. Marques (52')
Patrick Pellegrini kicked Tonga into an early lead with penalties in the 5th and 12th minutes, and when Otunuku Pauta forced his way over on 16 minutes the hosts looked settled at 11-0. It should have been the platform for a comfortable evening.
Instead, Portugal responded quickly. Raffaele Storti struck back on 20 minutes and Samuel Marques converted, and although Taniela Filimone restored the Tongan cushion on 24 minutes, the visitors were already finding space out wide.
The turning point of the half came with two yellow cards in quick succession. Veikoso Poloniati was binned on 33 minutes and Samiuela Moli followed a minute later, and Portugal made the numbers count immediately. Manuel Cardoso Pinto scored on 29 minutes and Nuno Mascarenhas, only just off the bench, crossed on 34 minutes. Marques's second conversion nudged the visitors 19-16 ahead at the break.
The pattern continued after the restart. Storti grabbed his second on 43 minutes to make it 24-16, and Portugal's back three looked dangerous every time they had room. Tonga hit back through Telusa Veainu on 47 minutes, Pellegrini converting, but Marques's penalty on 52 minutes kept Portugal in front.
Tonga were dealt another blow when Jose Madeira was sent to the bin on 54 minutes, yet again the hosts could not convert the advantage into control. Replacement Andre Cunha pounced on 61 minutes to push Portugal 32-23 clear, and that score proved decisive.
Solomone Kata gave Tonga hope with a try on 63 minutes to close the gap to four, and when Veainu was yellow-carded on 66 minutes the game opened up again. But Portugal held their nerve through the closing stages, even after Mascarenhas was binned in the 84th minute, to see out a narrow win.
CARRIES
CLEAN BREAK
DEFENDER BEATEN
TACKLE
MISSED TACKLE
TURNOVER WON
TURNOVERS CONCEDED
PENALTY CONCEDED
YELLOW CARD
POSSESSION
SCRUMS
LINEOUTS
The numbers point to two very different games. Tonga dominated possession at 59% and the ball-carrying stats, making 108 carries to Portugal's 57 and beating 21 defenders to 11. That is usually the profile of a comfortable win, not a defeat.
The difference was Portugal's defence and Tonga's indiscipline. The visitors made 136 tackles to 64 and simply kept absorbing pressure, while Tonga's three yellow cards handed Portugal the spells they needed to score. When you spend that much time carrying and beating defenders but still lose, the story is usually about the moments you gave away, and that was the case here.
There is no hiding place in the numbers for Tonga. They had the carriers, the metres and the territory for long spells, and players like Veainu, Kata and Pauta did the hard yards. But they conceded 12 penalties and three yellow cards, and every time they built a lead they let Portugal back in.
The defeat drops them to fourth in Pool B, still level on points with the sides around them but with work to do on discipline. On this evidence the attacking pieces are there; the accuracy and control are not yet.
| # | Team | PL | W | L | D | PD | BP | PTS | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Georgia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 2 | 14 | W W W |
| 2 |  Romania | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -16 | 3 | 09 | W D L |
| 3 |  Portugal | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 3 | 07 | W L |
| 4 |  Spain | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 07 | W D |
| 5 |  Hong Kong | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -66 | 1 | 05 | W L L |
| 6 |  Zimbabwe | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -26 | 1 | 01 | L L |
Portugal remain firmly in the Pool A picture, backing up their earlier win over Canada. Tonga, meanwhile, are left to reflect on a game they let slip despite doing so much of the heavy lifting.
If Tonga can cut out the cards, matches like this will start to go their way.
