New Zealand defeated Tonga 34-10, advancing to the World Cup final after a strong second-half performance.
New Zealand has marched into the World Cup final on the back of a clinical second-half performance to beat Tonga 34-10 in difficult conditions in Newcastle on Saturday night.
The Kiwis fought back from a 10-6 deficit late in the first half and put it together when it mattered, while riding the advantage of wind gusts upwards of 60km/h.
Kalyn Ponga showed no hesitation in his return from a broken arm and it paid immediate dividends, the fullback attacking both sides of the ruck in New Zealand's first set before setting up Briton Nikora for the opening try on a short side play.
The two teams settled into an arm wrestle and it was the Kiwis winning the middle of the ruck, but Isaiya Katoa's kicking game with the breeze behind him kept Tonga in the fight.
Tonga eventually earned a chance...