Tonga 10 England 101

Fly-half Paul Grayson reclaimed his English record for points scored in a match and his team confirmed their place in the quarter-final play-offs of the World Cup, scoring 13 tries in a 101-10 procession against Tonga at Twickenham.

England were given a helping hand when Tonga's prop Ngalu Taufo'ou was sent off three minutes before half-time for a massive punch, which floored flanker Richard Hill.

Clive Woodward's side were already in control at 24-10 but against 14 men it was no contest in the second half and England were able to give several players a rest ahead of next Wednesday's match at home against either France of Fiji.

Grayson surpassed Jonny Wilkinson's individual scoring record of 32, set just two weeks ago, by kicking 36 points.  He hit 16 successful kicks out of 17, missing just his first conversion.

Hooker Phil Greening, Dan Luger, Austin Healey, Will Greenwood and Jerry Guscott all scored two tries apiece for England.  Greenwood's brace came in the space of just two minutes.

The only worry for England was an injury to scrum-half Matt Dawson who was forced off just before the Taufo'ou dismissal.  The Tongan saw red after full-back Matt Perry was tackled dangerously in mid-air.  A melee ensued which ended with Taufo'ou running 20 metres to deck Hill.  He was red-carded by Australian referee Wayne Erickson to leave the Tongans facing an impossible task.

Two early Grayson penalties settled England, who knew they had to win the match to stay in the competition following their defeat by the All Blacks.  Scrum-half Dawson then scampered over to score after 13 minutes but Tonga's winger Tevita Tiueti put Grayson off his conversion and then from the re-start scorched into the corner past Perry for a try converted by Sateki Tu'ipulotu.  Pegged back at 11-7, Grayson restored England's superiority with two more penalties.

Tu'ipulotu stroked over another penalty for the Tongans but England scored again when Healey burst through the defence and hooker Greening plunged over to touch down.  Grayson converted and England were 24-10 up before the match boiled over at the end of the half.

England took full advantage of their spare man and further converted tries by wing Luger and Perry gave them a 38-10 half-time lead.

The second half was always going to be a formality and Will Greenwood, still feeling his way back after being injured in the opening win over Italy, danced through for England's fifth and six tries to bring up the half-century.

Healey, playing at scrum-half in Dawson's place, and Hill added further efforts but the biggest cheer was reserved for 34-year-old centre Guscott, who was only playing because of an injury to Phil de Glanville.  England's prince of centres gathered a quick Healey tap penalty and ran fully 80 metres to dive majestically under the posts.

Another jinking Healey effort was converted by Grayson to make the score 80-10 and the stand-in scrum-half then generously gave Greening his second try of the match which allowed Grayson to equal Wilkinson's mark, set against the Italians.

Luger and Guscott completed their braces in the dying minutes to take England over the century of points, just as group-mates New Zealand had on Thursday against Italy.

The Teams:

Tonga:  1 Ngalu Taufo'ou, 2 Fe'ao Vunipola, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 4 Isi Fatani, 5 Ben Hur Kivalu, 6 David Edwards, 7 Jonathan Koloi, 8 Kati Tu'ipulotu, 9 Sililo Martens, 10 'Elisi Vunipola (c), 11 David Tiueti, 12 Salesi Finau, 13 Fepiko Tatafu, 14 Semi Taupeaafe, 15 Sateki Tuipulotu
Reserves:  Ta'u Fainga'anuku, Latiume Maka, Falamani Mafi, 'Epeli Taione, Isi Tapueluelu, Va'a Toloke, Sione Tuipulotu

England:  1 Graham Rowntree, 2 Phil Greening, 3 Phil Vickery, 4 Garath Archer, 5 Martin Johnson (c), 6 Richard Hill, 7 Joe Worsley, 8 Lawrence Dallaglio, 9 Matt Dawson, 10 Paul Grayson, 11 Austin Healey, 12 Will Greenwood, 13 Jerry Guscott, 14 Dan Luger, 15 Matt Perry
Reserves:  Nick Beal, Mike Catt, Richard Cockerill, Danny Grewcock
Unused:  Neil Back, Jason Leonard, Jonny Wilkinson

Attendance:  73000
Referee:  Erickson w

Points Scorers:

Tonga
Tries:  Tiueti T.L. 1
Conv:  Tuipulotu S. 1
Pen K.:  Tuipulotu S. 1

England
Tries:  Dawson M.J.S. 1, Greening P.B.T. 2, Greenwood W.J.H. 2, Guscott J.C. 2, Healey A.S. 2, Hill R.A. 1, Luger D.D. 2, Perry M.B. 1
Conv:  Grayson P.J. 12
Pen K.:  Grayson P.J. 4