TONGA found Lebanon just as hard as England to break down in the opening men’s match of World Cup round two.
Six days after beating England 30-12, Kristian Woolf’s side led just 14-0 at halftime at Commbank Stadium with an intercept try before the break perhaps artificially inflating that margin.
And things were just as tough after the break, with tries to Jojo Fifita, Leka Halasima and Fifita again blowing things out.
It looked like it was going to be 30-0 but right at the death winger Sione Katoa scored and Lolohea converted.
Tonga plays Samoa next week while Lebanon, who are now out of the semis running, take on France.
TONGA 36 (Fifita 2 Katoa 2 Alamoti Halasima tries Lolohea 3 Alamoti goals) beat LEBANON 0 at Commbank Stadium.
Teams:
TONGA: Lehi Hopoate (Manly); Sione Katoa (Cronulla), Tolutau Koula (Manly), Paul Alamoti (Penrith), Jojo Fifita (Gold Coast); Tuimoala Lolohea (Huddersfield), Latu Fainu (Wests Tigers); Addin Fonua-Blake (Cronulla), Salesi Foketi (Sydney Roosters), Stefano Utoikamanu (Melbourne), Haumole Olakau’atu (Manly), Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (Dolphins), Jason Taumalolo (capt, North Queensland).
Reserves: Soni Luke (North Queensland), Taniela Paseka (Manly), Leka Halasima (Warriors), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Warriors), Talatau Amone (Wynumn) , Robert Toia (Sydney Roosters), Siua Wong (Sydney Roosters).
LEBANON: Jacob Kiraz (Canterbury); Tony Francis (Gold Coast), Michael Gabrael (Cronulla), Jordan Samrani (Parramatta), Jason Saab (Manly); Khaled Rajab (Newtown), Alex Conti (Canterbury); Jaxson Rahme (Wests Tigers), Moustafa Dirani (St Marys, James Roumanos (Toulouse), Tony Sukkar (Wests Tigers), Mikael Ibrahim (South Sydney), Alex Twal (capt, Wests Tigers).
Reserves: Yehya Ayache (South Sydney), Tupou Francis (Brisbane), Jalal Bazzaz (St George Illawarra), Khalil Rahme (Collegians), Joseph Nohra (Parramatta), Abbas Miski (Wigan), Ibrahim El Labban (Wentworthville).
Referee: Liam Moore.
