South Africa overwhelmed Tonga 49-18 on Sunday night at the Vélodrome in Marseille to take a big step towards the knockout stages at the rugby World Cup
Jacques Nienaber's men would have qualified for the last eight had they won by 37 points but they were thwarted by a fiersome Tonga team that appeared to have learned its lessons from chastening defeats to Ireland and Scotland.
"We're tracking in the right way," said Tonga head coach Toutai Kefu after a third defeat in the 2023 tournament.
"That means we'll have our best game next week, and then the tournament is over.
"It happens every campaign. It's always the last game. They are when we always play our best just because we've had more time together."
Ireland walloped Tonga 59-16 when they met in Nantes on 16 September. Scotland beat them 45-17 in Nice eight days later.
In Marseille, they struck first. William Havili knocked over a penalty after two minutes.
But that was cancelled out soon after. South Africa scrum-half Corbus Reinach took a quick penalty and darted over.
Handré Pollard, making his first start after returning from injury, added the conversion.
Pressure
But after Reinach's try, Tonga increased the pressure and camped down on the left by the South African line but they could not force their way over.
They were punished moments after the ball was cleared. Pollard's pass hit one of his teammates, bounced up invitingly for Canan Moodie who collected gleefully and dashed under the posts to make it 12-3.
Pollard kicked the two points and the prosaic - on Siya Kolisi's 50th game skippering his country - appeared to be eclipsing the plucky.
Brute force of the scrum brought Deon Fourie South Africa's third try and two more points for Pollard but Tonga eventually reaped the reward their enterprise and endeavour merited.
From a scrum on the left skipper Ben Tameifuna ploughed over to reduce the deficit to 21-8.
Bonus
Jesse Kriel's try straight after the pause gave the South Africans their bonus point for a fourth try.
Fine Inisi, making his first start, went over for Tonga before Willie Le Roux and Marco van Staden extended South Africa's lead to 42-13 courtesy of conversions from Manie Libbok who had replaced Pollard.
The game opened up as South Africa pressed for the the tries that would take the mathematics out of the qualification
Patrick Pellegrini collected his own kick - courtesy of a fortunate bounce to score for Tonga but Kwaggga Smith ploughed over at the end to rack up a few more points for the South Africans.
The pool - dubbed the Group of Death - will be decided on Saturday night at the Stade de France when Ireland face Scotland.
A simple victory for the Scots or the Irish will take them through to the last eight with the South Africans.
However, should Scotland beat Ireland by a margin of 21 points or more, with both teams scoring four tries to earn an attacking bonus point, that would mean all three teams finish the groups stages with 15 points.
That scenario would take Scotland and Ireland through to the last eight.
"Between ourselves, Ireland and Scotland, everybody can still miss out on the quarter-final but all three can also still make it," said South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber.
