A POWERFUL second half driven by half Jahrome Hughes allowed New Zealand to part the red sea and march into the World Cup final.
Tongan flags festooned a fleet of vehicles heading up the M1 to McDonald Jones Stadium this afternoon and the scene at the home of Newcastle Knights was something unique as Kristian Woolf’s men bade for history.
At halftime the tournament-favourite Kiwis led by just two.
But as rain and wind continue to lash the area in after the break, the Kiwis wound up and delivered a series of knockout blows.
Centre Casey McLean beat Paul Alamoti and slapped his chest in the 48th minute, Hughes scamped through a jumble of defenders in the wet on 53 minutes and replacement Xavier Willison finally broke the Tongans after sustained pressure in the 71st.
Despite some brave defence from Tonga, the Kiwis iced the victory with Nicoll-Klokstad final-minute try off an Erin Clark kick.
The Kiwis will play Australia or Samoa at Suncorp Stadium next Sunday.
It was an enthralling first half that started with New Zealand looking irresistible, second rower Briton Nikora scoring off Kalyn Ponga’s pass from close range after only four minutes.
Earlier, the Kiwis had performed a bone-chilling version of the Haka which saw them stop and just stare at their rivals until captain James Fisher-Harris signalled it was time to walk away.
Tonga responded to New Zealand’s apparent physical dominance with sheer speed.
From a kick return in the 21st minute, winger JoJo Fifita split the Kiwis defence and flashed downfield, linking up with Tui Lolohea and Tolutai Koula before Fifita finished the dazzling movement himself.
By the 33rd minute the complexion of the contest had completely changed.
From a scrum win in centrefield the Tongans created the extra man on the left and Gold Coast’s Fifita had his second.
A 10-6 halftime lead for the underdogs looked likely but the Kiwis had other ideas, Jarome Hughes kicking twice in the lead-up to centre Dane Gagai’s try three minutes short of the break.
Ponga did appear to interfere with Lehi Hopoate when he was trying to clean up the second kick but video referee Wyatt Raymond ruled it had been a fair contest.
New Zealand winger Jamayne Isaako had missed just one goal in the entire tournament and he edged the Kiwis back in front.
Ponga’s comeback was astounding – although he was smashed by Tyson Frizell and Salesi Foketi in full-bodied hits that elicited roars of approval from the heavily pro-Tonga crowd.
Prop Fisher-Harris was reported for raising the knee on Foketi in 13th minute.
Kiwis replacement Naufahu Whyte suffered an ankle injury in the second half.
NEW ZEALAND 34 (Nikora Gagai McLean Hughes Willison Nicoll-Klokstad tries Isaako 5 goal) beat TONGA 10 (Fifita 2 tries Katoa goal) at McDonald Jones Stadium. Crowd: 29,712.
Teams:
NEW ZEALAND: Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle); Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins), Dane Gagai (Newcastle), Casey McLean (Penrith), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (NZ Warriors); Kodi Nikorima (Dolphins), Jahrome Hughes (Melbourne); James Fisher-Harris (capt, NZ Warriors), Jeremy Marshall-King (Dolphins), Moses Leota (Penrith), Isaiah Papali’i (Penrith), Briton Nikora (Cronulla), Joseph Tapine (Canberra).
Reserves: Keano Kini (Gold Coast), Te Maire Martin (NZ Warriors), Naufahu Whyte (Sydney Roosters), Erin Clark (NZ Warriors), Xavier Willison (Brisbane), Phoenix Crossland (Newcastle).
TONGA: Lehi Hopoate (Manly); Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (NZ Warriors), Tolutau Koula (Manly), Paul Alamoti (Penrith), Jojo Fifita (Gold Coast); Tui Lolohea (Huddersfield), Isaiya Katoa (Dolphins); Addin Fonua-Blake (Cronulla), Salesi Foketi (Sydney Roosters), Jasonhe Taumalolo (capt, North Queensland), Haumole Olakau’atu (Manly), Siua Wong (Sydney Roosters), Tyson Frizell (Newcastle).
Reserves: Soni Luke (North Queensland), Stefano Utoikamanu (Melbourne), Demitric Vaimauga (NZ Warriors), Taniela Paseka (Manly), Leka Halasima (NZ Warriors), Latu Fainu (Wests Tigers).
Referee: Grant Atkins.
