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Rugby World Cup 07-Pool A -England v Tonga Preview

Epi Taione
By RWC2007 September 27 2007
IRB Rugby World Cup 2007 England vs. Tonga - Match Preview 28 September 2007 - 21:00(Local Time) 8 p.m. UK, Parc des Princes, Paris, France A must win game for both teams if they want to progress to the quarter finals or get on the next flight back home!
England vs. Tonga - Match Preview
28 September 2007 - 21:00(Local Time) 8 p.m. UK, Parc des Princes, Paris




England and Tonga both need to win this match to progress to the knock out stages of the Rugby World Cup 2007.

England will be wanting to win this game to salvage further pride for the players, the team, the management and above all for the fans.

The Tongans are certainly up for this game with a vengeance. Epi Taione a larger than life character who struck a sponsorship deal with an Irish bookmakers and changed his name to Paddy Power by deed poll, (unfortunately the IRB did not see the practical side of this and refused to acknowledge the change of name.) said this week :

"It's the biggest thing to happen to Tonga as a country and to our sports. It's more than a game for us and we're looking forward to it."



The last time England played Tonga was at Twickenham on the 15/10/1999 and the result that day was England 101 - 10 Tonga. Since that day England went on to better things with the culmination of winning the Rugby World Cup 2003 against Australia, albeit by one final drop goal kick!

However, if we fast forward to this weekend it has to be said, since that glorious day we have gone back light years and England fans are worrying and hoping and praying that we can beat Tonga. Tonga perhaps have improved during the last eight years since that game in 1999 but it is England that in just a short space of time have stepped back into the dark ages.

So let the better team win and we look forward to another cracking game.

England: 1 Andrew Sheridan 2 George Chuter 3 Matt Stevens 4 Steve Borthwick 5 Ben Kay 6 Martin Corry (Captain) 7 Lewis Moody 8 Nick Easter 9 Andy Gomarsall 10 Jonny Wilkinson 11 Mark Cueto 12 Olly Barkley 13 Mathew Tait 14 Paul Sackey 15 Josh Lewsey
Replacements: 16 Lee Mears 17 Phil Vickery 18 Lawrence Dallaglio 19 Joe Worsley 20 Peter Richards 21 Andy Farrell 22 Dan Hipkiss

Tonga

1 Soane Tonga'uiha 2 Aleki Lutui 3 Kisi Pulu 4 Viliami Vaki 5 Lisiate Fa'aoso 6 Hale T Pole 7 Nili Latu (c) 8 Finau Maka 9 Sione Tu'ipulotu 10 Pierre Hola 11 Joseph Vaka 12 Epeli Taione 13 Sukanaivalu Hufanga 14 Tevita Tu'ifua 15 Vungakoto Lilo
Replacements: 16 Ephraim Taukafa 17 Taufa'ao Filise 18 Maama Molitika 19 Inoke Afeaki 20 Soane Havea 21 Hudson Tonga'uiha 22 Aisea Havili


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