The Queensland Reds were today beaten 38-19 in Nuku\u2019alofa by a Tongan national side bristling with Test stars recently returned from Europe, Japan and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Skipper Jock Campbell rued the number of errors made by the Reds which limited their attacking flow and the pressure they could apply.<\/p>\n
Standout halfback Kalani Thomas kept his team in the contest but the Reds found themselves down 31-14 before they scored the try of the match.<\/p>\n
Reds Head Coach Les Kiss ran on eight players for their Queensland debuts and was rewarded with some highly promising signs against the Ikale Tahi.<\/p>\n
Starting flanker Tom Robinson put in a huge shift in defence to christen his Reds career with an error-free hour at just 19.<\/p>\n
Making debuts off the bench were prop Trevor King, hooker Theo Fourie, halfback James Martens, centre Xavier Rubens, prop Ollie Harris, utility forward Charlie Brosnan and fullback Will McCulloch.<\/p>\n
Gladstone product King found himself playing more than an hour on debut as a replacement prop after Nick Bloomfield limped off injured in the fifth minute.<\/p>\n
The Reds jumped to a 7-0 lead in the eighth minute when Thomas spotted at opening from a lineout win. He scooted 35m.<\/p>\n
With the Reds hard on attack, King made an instant impact. He arced over the mass of bodies at a ruck to dot down just minutes after running on.<\/p>\n
At the 75-minute mark, replacement halfback Martens showed himself to be the sharp-thinking opportunist he has been for the Australian Under-20s and the GPS club earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Just minutes after taking the field, he took a quick tap in his own quarter and scooted into rare open space on an afternoon of stop-start rugby in a blustery wind.<\/p>\n
Fellow Reds debutants Fourie and McCulloch featured with replacement forward Hamish Muller in an attacking raid that swept more than 80m upfield. Lock Josh Canham finished the fine play by planting the ball for a try.<\/p>\n
There was too little of such enterprising play because the Reds failed to capitalise on three excellent lineout steals by Canham and had issues with the consistency of their own lineout and scrum.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Ikale Tahi were a lot more accurate than we were,\u201d Campbell said post-match.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo have as many guys on debut as we did in a hostile environment is a good experience for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re all very proud of them. They\u2019ve gained experience against good quality players who have played a lot in France and at World Cups.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a step up and they all fought really well. It will give them confidence they can do so in Super Rugby when they get a call-up.\u201d<\/p>\n
On three occasions, spirited defence held up the Tongans over the tryline.<\/p>\n
The Tongans finally breached the defence in the first half when veteran prop Ben Tameifuna rumbled over in the 27th-minute. Tameifuna is back from French club Bordeaux for Tonga\u2019s key World Cup qualifiers which begin in a week.<\/p>\n
The tour is part of the ongoing support of Tongan rugby by the\u00a0Australian Government, Rugby\u00a0Australia, and the Reds through the\u00a0PacificAus\u00a0Sports-funded\u00a0Australia-Pacific\u00a0Rugby Union Partnership (APRUP).<\/p>\n
TONGA 38<\/p>\n
Tries: John Tapueluelu 2 (31min, 46), Ben Tameifuna (27), Fetuli Paea (40), Augustine Pulu (79), Lotu Inisi (64)<\/p>\n
Conversions: Patrick Pellegrini 4\n<\/p>\n
Defeated\n<\/p>\n
QUEENSLAND REDS 19<\/p>\n
Tries: Trevor King (8) Josh Canham (75), penalty try<\/p>\n
Conversion: Harry McLaughlin-Phillips<\/p>\n
Half-time: Tonga 19-Reds 7<\/p>\n
Venue: Teufaiva Sport Stadium, Nuku’alofa
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
About\u00a0PacificAus\u00a0Sports<\/p>\n
PacificAus\u00a0Sports\u00a0is an\u00a0Australian Government\u00a0sports\u00a0diplomacy initiative creating opportunities for\u00a0Pacific\u00a0athletes, conuaches, officials and administrators to access high performance training and elite competition.<\/p>\n
The program partners with\u00a0Australian national\u00a0sports\u00a0organisations to support a range of\u00a0sports, including rugby league, rugby union, netball, football, AFL, cricket, tennis, basketball, and Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth\u00a0sports.\u00a0<\/p>\n
PacificAus\u00a0Sports\u00a0also partners with the\u00a0Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to promote\u00a0Pacific\u00a0sport through ABC Television\u2019s \u2018That\u00a0Pacific\u00a0Sports\u00a0Show\u2019 and ABC Radio\u2019s \u2018Fresh Off the Field\u2019. The high performance outcomes of\u00a0PacificAus\u00a0Sports\u00a0are complemented by the\u00a0Australian Government\u2019s\u00a0Team Up\u00a0program, which focuses on sport for development in the\u00a0Pacific.<\/p>\n