Tonga star receives urgent medical help after three brutal head knocks

New Zealand will start next week’s Pacific Cup grand final against Samoa as raging favourites after a 40-14 win over Tonga at Eden Park.

In unfortunate news, however, Tonga star Eli Katoa had to receive urgent medical help during the second half after suffering several head knocks throughout the course of the afternoon.

But Tongan coach Kristian Woolf has since defended the team’s process of allowing Katoa to play.

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MATCH CENTRE: New Zealand vs Tonga teams, scores, videos, updates

According to Code Sports, six teammates and support staff had to assist Katoa on the sideline, before the forward was fitted with an oxygen mask and taken into the dressing rooms on a medi-cab.

Questions were raised as to why Katoa played 41 minutes, given what happened.

Katoa copped three head knocks, including one in the warm-up. He passed one in-game, returning to the field in the first half but was off again, this time for good, when his head collided with a Kiwi player as he attempted to make a tackle in the second half.

After sitting on the sideline for 10-15 minutes, he fell ill and needed the swift medical assistance.

After the game, Tongan coach Woolf was adamant that “everything has been done by the book” with regards to Katoa being cleared to play.

“The doctors did the usual HIA, we’ve got two very experienced doctors there. They’ve done their usual HIA and he’s passed all that well,” he said.

“My job isn’t to question doctors. They were both comfortable with him coming back onto the field, so I don’t think there’s anything there in terms of worrying about the process.

“Unfortunately I think he’s copped a second hit that was quite heavy and there’s been a poor result out of that.

“He had two HIA’s in the game. He passed his HIA from the first one, then the second one he doesn’t go back on anyway.

“By all reports he was fine when he came back off, but he deteriorated after that.

“Everything has been done by the book.’’

Heading into the Tonga clash, all the Kiwis needed to do to progress was to win or lose by less than 17 points.

They thwarted any hope of a Tonga miracle early though, racing out to a 24-0 lead in the first half.

Fullback Keano Kini was sensational, as was five-eighth Dylan Brown, who continued his terrific international form.

Titans star Kini was a late inclusion for Seb Kris, which in turn pushed Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad into the centres.

Kini was in everything early, starting a full field play which resulted in his try to open the scoring.

He finished with 179 metres, a try and four offloads.

Brown meanwhile had 100 metres, five tackle busts, two try assists and two tries.

The home side gave Tonga a glimmer of hope on half time when Erin Clark was sin binned for a professional foul.

When Tonga reserve forward Demitric Vaimauga barged over next to the posts to make it 24-8 in the 50th minute, things became interesting.

But when Clark’s ten minute sin bin ended, it was back to 13 on 13 and order was restored.

A skillful backline shift resulted in a Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad try in the 53rd minute. NZ would increase their lead 12 minutes later when Brown scored his second which was set up by a lovely run and offload from Isaiah Papali’i

While it was an ugly day for Tonga as a whole, it didn’t compare to Katoa’s afternoon.

In the warm up, he was on the wrong end of an accidental but nasty looking hit from teammate Lehi Hopoate as the two contested a ball in the warm up but was passed fit to play.

Katoa than copped an accidental elbow from a teammate in the 10th minute and came off for a HIA but passed that and returned to the game.

In the second half, his day was officially done when he got caught in an awkward position trying to make a tackle and came off second best.

TEAMS

New Zealand: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Casey McLean 20. Keano Kini 6. Dylan Brown 7. Kieran Foran 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Moses Leota 11. Briton Nikora 12. Isaiah Papalii 13. Joseph Tapine 14. Te Maire Martin 15. Naufahu Whyte 16. Erin Clark 17. Xavier Willison 18th man: 19. Scot Sorensen.

Tonga: 1. Lehi Hopoate 2. Daniel Tupou 19. Will Penisini 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Sione Katoa 6. Isaiah Iongi 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Siliva Havili 17. Moeaki Fotuaika 11. Eliesa Katoa 18. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 13. Jason Taumalolo 10. Felise Kaufusi12. Siua Wong 14. Soni Luke 16. Demetric Vaimauga

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