South Africa vs Tonga LIVE: Rugby World Cup result and final score as Springboks go top of Pool B

South Africa 49-18 Tonga: The Springboks bounced back from last weekend’s defeat to Ireland to move to the top of the table on 15 points

Eddie Jones loses patience with reporters over constant questions about Japan job interview

South Africa were firmly on track for the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals as they ran in seven tries to knock Tonga out with a 49-18 victory in their last Pool B game on Sunday.

Cobus Reinach, Canan Moodie, Deon Fourie, Jesse Kriel, Willie Le Roux, Marco van Staden and Kwagga Smith went over the line and Handre Pollard (4) and Manie Libbok (3) converted to put the defending champions top of their group on 15 points.

It was, however, the first time since the 2015 World Cup that the Springboks conceded three tries in a match as Ben Tameifuna, Fine Inisi and Patrick Pellegrini touched down in a fierce performance by Tonga.

South Africa will go through if Scotland fail to beat Ireland, who overcame the Springboks in the first game of the group and have 14 points, with a bonus point.

Follow all the latest from the Pool B match below. Get all the Rugby World Cup odds here, plus the latest tips and free bets on the World Cup here.

South Africa vs Tonga LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest score and updates

• FULL TIME: South Africa 49-18 Tonga
• Try! Reinach scores! South Africa 7-3 Tonga
• Try! Moodie scores! South Africa 14-3 Tonga
• Try! Fourie scores! South Africa 21-3 Tonga
• Try! Tameifuna scores! South Africa 21-8 Tonga
• HT: South Africa 21-8 Tonga
• Try! Kriel scores! South Africa 26-8 Tonga
• Try! Inisi scores! South Africa 26-13 Tonga
• Try! Le Roux scores! South Africa 35-13 Tonga
• Try! Van Staden scores! South Africa 42-13 Tonga
• Try! Pellegrini scores! South Africa 42-18 Tonga
• Try! Smith scores! South Africa 49-18 Tonga

[1 October 2023 21:41 · Sonia Twigg]

Conversion missed! South Africa 42-18 Tonga - 75 minutes

And he has the chance to convert it! Unfortunately he can’t put it between the posts but it was a stunning try, with a chip on the outside of the boot and then evading two outfield players before the dive to the line.

[1 October 2023 21:40 · Sonia Twigg]

South Africa 42-18 Tonga - 73 minutes

Pellegrini was playing for Sevenoaks in the fifth division of English rugby not that many years ago but now he has a try in the World Cup!

What an incredible journey.

[1 October 2023 21:39 · Sonia Twigg]

Try! South Africa 42-18 Tonga - 73 minutes

Here go Tonga, after South Africa just tried to be a bit too clever at the other end and Tonga score a try!

Pellegrini scores the try!

[1 October 2023 21:38 · Sonia Twigg]

South Africa 42-13 Tonga - 71 minutes

Tonga are just trying to find a way back in this game, driving from the midfielder from a line out, but some mistakes that weren’t there at the start of the game are just starting to creep in such as missed or dropped passes.

[1 October 2023 21:36 · Sonia Twigg]

South Africa 42-13 Tonga - 70 minutes

Siya Kolisi is showing all the passion from the touchline after being substituted and is cheering every single move to the end, no shortage of energy from the captain, even though he cannot impact the game directly any more.

[1 October 2023 21:34 · Sonia Twigg]

South Africa 42-13 Tonga - 68 minutes

South Africa are still looking dangerous here, even though for the last few minutes the ball has mostly been kept in the centre of the field.

[1 October 2023 21:32 · Sonia Twigg]

South Africa 42-13 Tonga - 66 minutes

Tonga may have to fight their way into this match to prevent what could start to look like an ugly scoreline.

They have fought well, but South Africa have just had the killer touch.

[1 October 2023 21:31 · Sonia Twigg]

Conversion! South Africa 42-13 Tonga - 64 minutes

Libbok has another conversion, this time from the wrong side of the field, and that is now looking like a very impressive points tally for South Africa.

[1 October 2023 21:30 · Sonia Twigg]

Try! South Africa 40-13 Tonga - 63 minutes

Another South Africa maul leads to ground gained, that’s something they have done well in this game, whether it’s close to the line or not.

And one pass has undone the Tonga defence again and there’s another try!

That was probably the best of the lot, it was a beautiful move that just resulted in more points flowing for the Spingboks.

They used the width of the field, Kriel uses his footwork to gain the numbers before Van Staden put the ball over the line.

[1 October 2023 21:27 · Sonia Twigg]

South Africa 35-13 Tonga - 61 minutes

After those frantic few minutes following the substitutions, the game has just slowed down a touch following the restart, allowing players to take a breather and those newly on the pitch to ground themselves.

There is still a reasonable way to go in this game with just under 20 minutes remaining.