The Tonga A rugby team had their first win in the 2012 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup competition, by beating Samoa A 20-18 at Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa on Thursday, 11 October.

Tonga's victory over Samoa meant that the Fiji Warriors have won the 2012 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup.

Samoa needed a bonus point victory over Tonga to be in a position to challenge the champions Fiji Warriors, but to do that they needed to score tries, and it did not happen. Tonga A scored the only try of the match when in the 64th minute No. 8 Lotu Filipine crashed over at the left corner. The No. 15 Setaleki Lu'au missed the conversion and the score was 18-17 for Samoa. Tonga A put on the pressure, and in the 78^th minute slotted a penalty conversion and Tonga won by 20-18.

At half-time Samoa A was 12-3. The Samoa A No. 15, Titi Esau converted four penalties, to Setaleki Lu'au's one penalty conversion. Setaleki Lu'au was also declared as the man of the match.

The Tonga -Samoa game was the first of the final leg of the 2012 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup PRC series.

Super Rugby development

During the trans-Tasman legs of the PRC series, which started in Australia on February 17 and ended in New Zealand on March 19, teams from Tonga, Samoa and Fiji played against Super Rugby development sides. In Australia they played against the Junior Warratahs, Queensland A and the Brumby Runners. In New Zealand they played against the Crusaders Knights, a Blues Development team, and a Highlander Development team.

At the end of the trans-Tasman legs of the PRC, the Fiji Warriors were at the top of the table with 10 points. They lost only one game, against the Queensland A, and won all their three games in New Zealand.

The Samoa A was the first runner-up and Tonga A was at the bottom of the ladder with a draw due the cancellation of their game against the Brumby Runners, because of bad weather.

Tonga schedule

The Samoa A will now play the Fiji Warriors on Monday, October 15 and Tonga A will play the Fiji Warriors on Friday, October 19.