Rugby-Tongan tackling ruffles Scots, and officials


Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Pool B - Scotland v Tonga - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - September 24, 2023 Scotland's Ewan Ashman in action with Tonga's Sione Talitui REUTERS/Peter Cziborra

NICE, France (Reuters) - Tonga showed the best and worst of their uber-physical approach on Sunday when they rattled Scotland with some fearsome tackling but also missed 45 attempts and suffered a red and a yellow card during their 45-17 World Cup defeat.

Scotland winger Duhan van der Merwe, one of the most physical players in Europe, said: "I've never been hit like that before", after being relentlessly smashed, mostly legally.

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