Day 2: Singapore Stun Tonga but fall to PNG

31 October 2010

by Wang Shao Ing

In the second day of the Asia Pacific Women’s 7s 2010, Singapore put their disappointing defeat to India behind them to stun Tonga to reach the cup semifinals.

Having won the crowd from their performance against Samoa in the pool stages, Singapore did not disappoint in the Cup Quarterfinals.

The diminutive Singaporeans were disciplined and resilient in defence and spirited in attack. Each tackle on their larger opponents garnered loud cheers from the spectators and a succession of penalties against the Tongans allowed Derelyn Chua to put Priscilla Humphries through for a try within minutes of the kickoff.

Tonga’s repeated infringements at the breakdown gave Singapore another opportunity in their half and a well-worked penalty move put Eunice Tay under the posts for the republic’s second try.

The half-time allowed Tonga to regroup and they used their superior size to drive home a score quickly after the break. But Singapore, who looked to be enjoying their billing as the underdogs, held their ground and forced the Tongans to play the game from their half. At the final whistle, Singapore were through to the cup semifinals with a 12-5 win over Tonga.

Papua New Guinea enjoyed a walkover in their quarterfinal match and arrived at the last match of the day well-rested. Several defensive decisions by Singapore proved costly in the cup semifinals and PNG’s flying winger was unstoppable once in space. PNG recorded their highest score in the tournament by beating Singapore 54-0.

Singapore will go on to play the Cook Islands in the Plate Finals for the 3rd and 4th placing in the Asia Pacific Women's 7s 2010.