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Tonga in playoff hunt after beating Japan at RWC

The Columbian
Published: September 20, 2011, 5:00pm

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Tonga’s flickering World Cup quarterfinal hopes lit up, while Japan’s were virtually snuffed out in a 31-18 victory by the South Seas squad at Northland Events Centre on Wednesday.

Tonga was thought to be out for the count after being run over by New Zealand and caught from behind by Canada. But Tonga’s eight changes worked for coach Isitolo Maka, who drummed into his players that they could beat Japan for the first time in five years.

Japan coach John Kirwan said that after enduring losses to their pool’s biggest teams — France and New Zealand — that Japan’s World Cup was starting now. But Tonga virtually ended it, and ruined Japan’s hopes of ending a 17-match winless string in the World Cup dating back 20 years.

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