Nonu marks 100th cap with try as New Zealand coast past Tonga to win Rugby World Cup Pool C

Ma'a Nonu scored a try on his 100th appearance for his country ©Getty Images

Ma'a Nonu marked his 100th cap for New Zealand by scoring the final try of the evening as the defending champions overcame Tonga at Newcastle's St James’ Park to maintain their unbeaten record and finish top of Pool C at the Rugby World Cup.

Tonga had begun the contest impressively by earning several turnovers of the ball with the opening 10 minutes of the tie seeing neither side score, with ferocious tackling turning the match into a scrappy affair.

However New Zealand were able to cut out mistakes and instead showed superb handling of the ball just minutes later to break the deadlock with Ben Smith eventually going over for the try, before Dan Carter added the conversion.

A resiliant Tonga hit back through a penalty from Kurt Morath, but they soon found themselves further adrift as Tony Woodcock, whose try won New Zealand the competition four years ago, powered over for their second try of the match with Carter once again adding the conversion to see the score move onto 14-3.

Any chance of a Tongan recovery appeared to rest on the closing stages of the first half when they enjoyed a sustained period of pressure by New Zealand’s tryline, but despite several penalties being awarded against the defending champions, including one which saw Kieran Read sin-binned, the referee opted not to award a penalty try.

Another Morath penalty early in the second period had briefly given Tonga hope of a revival.

But the prospect was made a distant one by Nehe Milner-Skudder’s two converted tries in a seven minute spell, which came either side of a third Tongan penalty.

New Zealand scored seven tries to earn a comfortable victory ©Getty Images

Having been well shackled in the first half, New Zealand began to pull away from their opponents in the second as Sonny Bill Williams moved the score onto 35-9 by running in his country’s fifth try of the match.

Frustration was beginning to mount in the Tongan team displayed by their hooker Paula Ngauamo being sin-binned for illegally tackling Carter and with a man advantage New Zealand continued to add to their advantage, as Sam Cane added the sixth try.

The last word though was left to Nonu, as he marked his milestone appearance by going over in the corner to seal the 47-9 win and leave his country waiting to discover whether they are to face France or Ireland in the quarter-finals.