Tonga A scored two tries - one an audacious length-of-the-field effort - the overhaul the USA Selects and win Round 1 of the Americas Pacific Challenge 39-30.

The USA Selects produced several sequences of effective rugby, but were ultimately undone by penalties in the ruck, and inconsistent defense in the channels around the breakdown.

The Americans started the game off well, putting Tonga under pressure and launching several attacking movements inside the Tonga 22. However, the Selects came away with zero points despite getting Dylan Audsley over the line (ruled held up) and despite the team's lineout functioning well.

Eventually, the USA took a 3-0 lead thanks to a long-range Dylan Audsley penalty goal, but gave those pints right back as Tonga pressured off the restart. A series of power runs pushed the USA tacklers back, and then fire-hydrant scrumhalf Sione Ika scampered through a tackle to score.

The USA Selects came back thanks to an excellent interception and run from No. 8 Brendan Daly, and then added a penalty from Audsley for a 13-7 lead. But Tonga scored an answering try, sending lock Irwin Finau over, and flyhalf Siosaia Fililava converted and added a penalty to made it 18-13 for Tonga A at halftime.

Down a man due to a yellow card to Psalm Wooching, the USA Selects nonetheless produced a classy try. Ryan Matyas was brought on as a sub on the wing, and he immediately broke the line on a set backline move off a scrum. Matyas drew his man expertly and put Tim Maupin away in the corner. 

But Tonga A would reply, after a long series bashing at the USA line, with Ika selling a dummy and bursting through a hole for his second. That made it 22-20 Tonga A (the Americans charged the conversion attempt and forced Fililava to miss). 

A series of high tackles put Tonga on the back foot (but not in the sin bin), and led to Audsley slotting a penalty to nudge his side ahead. Then the Americans scored another well-taken try, with Matyas starting a counterattack that put Hanco Germishuys away to power through two tacklers before he fed Vili Toluta'u for the try in the corner. Audsley hit the touchline conversion and the USA Selects were in command 30-22 with 14 minutes to go.

Then it all fell apart. A snappy line by Sione Lave put the big back in for a try, converted by Fililava, and then some poor defense around the ruck allowed the Tongans to run a sequence down the sideline that ended with an audacious pass from wing Patelesio Sili to flanker Tevita Hafoka, who was in for the try. Fililava sealed the game with a conversion and a penalty.

For the USA Selects, it was a lesson in keeping control of the ball in contact, and making sure those interior channels were defended. While the Selects were hard-done-by with regard to penalties - especially how few cards were given for dangerous tackles - in the end they only had themselves to blame.

USA Selects 30
Tries: Daly, Maupin, Toluta'u
Convs: Audsley 3
Pens: Audsley 3

Tonga A 39
Tries: Ika 2, I. Finau, Lave, Hafoka
Convs: Fililava 4
Pens: Fililava 2

Also in the APC, Samoa A held off a late charge by Argentina XV to win 36-31. Argentina's normally secure goalkicking abandoned them.