Rugby World Cup 2015: Winners and Losers from New Zealand vs. Tonga

New Zealand were given a thorough first-half examination by Tonga en route to completing four wins from four in Pool D.

The All Blacks were under severe pressure on their own line at the end of the first period but in the second half, shook off that ring rust to run out 47-9 winners.

Tonga head home, and the All Blacks head to Cardiff, where their World Cup dreams have died once before.

Could lightning strike twice?

Here are the winners and losers from St James' Park.

Ma'a Nonu marked the occasion of his 100th cap with a well-taken try.

The All Blacks centre was on the end of a scything break from Nehe Milner-Skudder to slide home in the corner and seal the win on his big night.

He heads to Toulon after this tournament and will leave a big hole behind him in every sense.

Irish whistle-blower John Lacey had given the All Black pack their final warning after collapsing two scrums on their own five-metre line at the end of the first half.

Down to seven men after Kieran Read's yellow card, they packed down again. And when the Tongan pressure came on, the men in black crumpled again.

But when the ball arrived at the back of the Tongan pack, Lacey told them to use it rather than penalising another New Zealand collapse.

It should have been a penalty try and another yellow card for the World Champions.

Instead, Tonga had to play the ball. And after a couple of surges, they were held up short, and that was half-time.

Poor officiating from Lacey; rotten luck for the Islanders.

Two more tries for Nehe Milner-Skudder underlined his great finishing ability and endorsed coach Steve Hansen's decision to take the newcomer to the World Cup.

He also showed his ball-handling skill with a great run and pass to Ma'a Nonu for the game's final try.

The Wellington man must now be the favourite over Waisake Naholo to start in the quarter-final when Julian Savea returns to the left wing.

Tonga were already well out of the game when they went down to 14 men.

But tackles like Paula Ngauamo's effort on Dan Carter late in the game can't go unpunished.

The All Blacks fly-half was lucky not to come away with a serious injury after being tipped over the horizontal and slammed to the floor.

These sort of tackles need to be eradicated from the game.

Tonight may have been the last time we will see Nili Latu at a Rugby World Cup.

One of the game's great warriors led his country out in his 50th cap, and at 33 years old, it's likely to be his last on the World Cup stage.

He led a fine Tongan side in 2007, missed the 2011 tournament but was back and as inspirational as ever in 2015.

He bows out with a defeat but no less respect from a game he has never played at anything but full throttle.