Chiefs duo feature in Tongan win

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs duo Fetu'u Vainikolo and Elvis Taione both featured for Tonga as they recorded a 23-9 victory over Georgia on Saturday.

Vainikolo played the entire match on the wing for the Islanders, who scored three tries in the final quarter to claim victory in Tbilisi. Taione, meanwhile, was used as a 69th minute replacement in place of Gloucester's Aleki Lutui.

Trailing 9-6 on the hour mark, the Islanders turned on the gas, scoring three unanswered tries in 12 minutes to kick off their European tour with a bang.

Replacement scrum-half Taniela Moa came off the bench to score two tries, while former Cornish Pirates and Bristol full-back Vungakoto Lilo added the final nail in the coffin.

Georgia led 6-3 at the interval thanks to two penalties from full-back Kvirikashvili. However, Tonga pivot Kurt Morath levelled the scores from the kicking tee soon after the break before Kvirikashvili nudged his side ahead again with half an hour to play.