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Wales V Tonga Classics: 1986

Wales V Tonga Classics: 1986

TONGA 7 WALES 15

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1986 – June 12 – at the Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku’alofa.

Tonga literally went down fighting as both wing Adrian Hadley and No 8 Phil Davies were laid out. Hadley was carried off and Glen Webbe came on to become the first black player to win a cap for Wales. The likeable Cardiff-born Webbe was to become a long servant of the Bridgend club.

It was noticeable that five of the Wales team were soon to turn to Rugby League – Hadley, fly half Jonathan Davies, centre John Devereux, flanker Paul Moriarty and prop Stuart Evans.

It was the younger of the two Moriarty brothers who scored the Wales try and the versatile Malcolm Dacey, now at full back, who converted, while the latter, plus Bleddyn Bowen put over the penalties in this short tour of the South Seas Islands when Wales also defeated Fiji and Western Samoa.

As well as Webbe, there was also a new cap for replacement forward Huw Richards.

Tonga: T Ete’aki; L Hopoate, P Moala, F Lavemai, S Mohi; T Lovo, T Fifita; T Bloomfield, A Afu Fungavaka, M Moala, O Vitelefi (capt), M Tu’ungafasi, E Koloto, F Tupou, P Langi.
Scorers – Try: Talai Fifita. Pens: Tomasi Lovo.

Wales: M Dacey; M Titley (both Swansea), J Devereux (Bridgend & SG Inst), B Bowen (SW Police), A Hadley (Cardiff); J Davies (Neath), R Jones (Swansea); J Whitefoot (Cardiff), W James (Aberavon), Stuart Evans (Neath), R Norster (Cardiff), R Moriarty (capt), P Moriarty (both Swansea), P Davies (Llanelli), M Brown (Pontypool). Reps: G Webbe (Bridgend) for A Hadey; H Richards (Neath) for M Brown. Scorers – Try: P Moriarty. Con: M Dacey. Pens: B Bowen 2, M Dacey.

Referee: Brian Kinsey (Australia).

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