Thanks for reading today, thanks for the emails, and as the France and Tonga players might tell each other over a beer - thanks for all the bruises. See you next time. Goodbye.

So, in Pool C, England top the group with 15 points, and France join them in the last eight, now in second place with 13 points.

The England v France showdown in Yokohama, which will inevitably be dubbed ‘Le Crunch’ by cliche-flogging journalists, will determine who wins the pool.

It will be pretty fascinating to see how both teams approach it, as they are both through, and it’s by no means going to be ‘easier’ in the last eight for whoever tops the pool. Wales or Australia will await unless something mad happens and Fiji beat Warren Gatland’s men ...

Here’s a thing about the two Italians who have been suspended for dangerous tackles:

Alivereti Raka is Player of the Match. Quite right too - he was brilliant, and that step of his is something England will be very mindful of. Here he is, speaking in English, then French:

Virimi Vakatawa, France’s first try-scorer today, has a chat with the Rugby World Cup people: ‘Credit to the Tongan boys, we knew it wasn’t going to be easy today ...”

Now for some shameless self-promotion. Or anyway, an email from Shirl & David Ulusele:

“Would like to add our expressions of gratitude to you, for making it possible to keep up with the games which we are unable to access via our TV. Your comments are so refreshing and the facts of the game are presented so regularly, that we almost feel we are right there, picturing & enjoying the moment! Have been enjoying your commentaries so much, that we haven’t even bothered looking elsewhere!”

Appreciated, thank you, Shirl and David.

Eternal gratitude to Hilton Kane, on email, for setting me straight on this. Tongans do not do a ‘Haka’:

“Hakas are particular to New Zealand Maori culture; the Tongan challenge is called Sipi Tau; the Samoan challenge is the Siva Tau; and the Fijian challenge is called the Cibi.”

If you enjoyed the minute-by-minute, why not read the match report, right here:

Second-half photos:

Tonga coach Toutai Kefu speaks: “The guys hung in, and hung in. You can’t fault their effort.”

Anyway, as far as Pool C goes, all eyes do indeed now turn to England v France in Yokohama next Saturday. The question is this: Would they (England and France) rather play Wales or Australia in the quarter-finals? Given the Welsh record against England in crunch matches in recent years, you would have to think England fans, at least, would rather see them play Australia? Am I right?

Sam Warburton weighs in on France from the ITV nerve centre: “They look very disorganised. It’s very off-the-cuff. They look a bit lost. What was France’s strategy? I couldn’t really tell you, to be honest.”

French rugby, off the cuff? Whatever next?!

Now Fitzpatrick just can’t help himself! - “Next week, when France play a seriously quality side like England, they will get exposed.”

Is he still sore about those defeats during his playing career?

Speaking on ITV, “Fitzy” takes aim at France yet again: “Very disappointing. No continuity, they don’t put phases together. You’ve got to take your hat off to Tonga who played very well.”

That feels pretty harsh to me, because as Fitzpatrick mentions, Tonga put in their best performance of the tournament by quite some distance. Maybe France could have been more clinical but they have no automatic right to beat anyone, do they? They had to work for that.

“England won’t be too worried about playing France...Inconsistency is really hurting them.” (That’s Fitzpatrick again.)

There were flashes of brilliance from France - especially from Raka, who was outstanding throughout. Camille Chat was also everywhere, particularly first-half. And in truth, France showed a lot of character to close that game out, even if their performance levels dropped a little. Tonga gave them a real test, obviously with their physicality, but also with some lovely running rugby.

Take a look at this Tonga try by Hingano. Beautiful, even if Medard should have done better:

77 min: Hang on a second ... a magnificent break deep into the French 22 by Piatau! He is a couple of yards from the try line but Du Pont pulls off a brilliant tackle. Now Tonga cross-kick it, and they are over the try line! But the TMO is having a look ...

74 min: Ball in hand for France, but Nasi Manu puts in a gynormous hit and drives them back. However, France are keeping plenty of the ball. The potential grandstand finish, after that brilliant Tongan try by Hingano, has not materialised. Which is testament to France and they way they have contained this dangerous opponent.

71 min: Du Pont puts in a good touch-finder on the right. Guirado then tries to power up the middle. Tonga need to get our of their own 22 ... Camille Lopez tries to sprint on to a looping kick by Du Pont but it’s touched down in goal by Tongan hands instead. France are seeing this out, it seems, and will secure their quarter-final place in a few minutes.

70 mins: We have 10 minutes left and Tonga have a scrum. They are really giving this a good shot, but the French tackling - for the moment - is impressive and continues to snuff out their opponents. Tonga then do find space on the right, but Cooper Vuna’s foot is in touch and it’s back for a French line-out around halfway. Nine points is still the difference ...

69 min: The replacement Tongan hooker, Sefo Sakalia, has gone off injured. Tonga have emptied their bench. France have made six out of seven possible replacements.

67 min: Game, set and match? France rip the ball from Tongan hands in the 22. Du Pont executes a simple off-load to Penaud, and he sprints over in the corner. But no! The TMO has checked it, and there was a knock-on in the build-up. No try! The score stays at 23-14. The ‘VAR’ check denies the French and Tonga have a life line.

65 min: This is more brilliant stuff from Raka, who collects a looping pass from Du Pont on the left, kicks ahead towards the corner, and manages (again) to collect his own kick. But the Tongan scramble defence is excellent, in the left-hand corner of the pitch, and they win a penalty.

64 min: Piutau makes a nice break for Tonga and off-loads approaching the halfway line, which suddenly creates a bit of space, but the French defence holds firm again.

62 min: Now Penaud and Medard combine in the French 22 to deal with another kick from Tonga. France have taken the sting out of the Samoan comeback effectively in the past 10 minutes. Medard now collects another high kick expertly and takes the ball into contact in midfield.

61 min: Tongan lock Leva Fifita off, Daniel Faleafa on. Tonga need to find a score and pretty quickly if we are going to have an exciting conclusion to this one. But France have ball in hand, and are on the move into the Tongan half.

60 min: Tonga make inroads into the French half, but Raka collects a searching kick and hammers it back into the Tongan 22, on the left wing. France will be happy to see the clock ticking down, leading as they do by nine points. Tonga need to score twice at least if they are going to get anything here.

58 min: Lousi concedes a penalty for coming in at the side. On replay, it looks like the wrong decision. Du Pont had his hands on the ball and Lousi had every right to contest it. Anyway, it’s another France penalty.

56 min: As we approach the final quarter, there are only six points in it. This has been a very spirited, skilful effort by Tonga to get right back into the match. Tonga now have the put-in at a scrum in their 22.

53 min: Replacements news - France freshen things up. Poirot, Slimani, Serin and Vahaamahina off for France. Baille, Setiano, Le Roux and Du Pont come on. Fresh legs see France mount a very strong attack right to the Tongan try line but Du Pont, just on, spills the ball in contact and Tonga manage to clear.

50 min: Veainu makes another brilliant break for Tonga - this time right through the middle - but the Tongan forwards are offside and it’s pulled back. Meanwhile a replay shows that Penaud was lucky not to be pinged for jumping into a tackle a few moments before that.

45 min: France open side Charles Ollivon is over the try line, but there was a forward pass, and it won’t count. The French had a line-out on halfway and pulled off a nice training ground move with Ollivon and Chat exchanging quick passes at the front of it. That would surely have put the match to bed.

43 min: Tonga mount an attack down the middle, and batter their way almost under the posts again! But Vahaamahina burrows away for the ball after a tackle, wins a penalty, and France can clear.

41 min: Strong, strong start from Tonga. They win the put-in at the first scrum of the second half, and then get a big shove on, forcing the French back on halfway. They celebrate the scrum penalty like they’ve won the match ... Prop Siosiua Halanukonuka has just come on, for Ma’afu Fia, and makes an immediate impact.

Thanks to Jim for emailing in about Sean Fitzpatrick’s pre-match comments about France, when he said they don’t deliver consistently enough on the big stage:

“Strange comments from the NZ legend, France have been in 3 WC finals, ok not so good the last few yrs and I don’t agree re: the talent, not enough there and poor conditioning/ fitness. Is he still thinking about 2007 ?”

In fairness to Fitzpatrick, I only pulled out a short line from several thoughts he had about France. He obviously respects them - the All Blacks legend lost to France more than any other side during his international career.

We’re seeing a few replays of those two first-half challenges by Lousi. The second one on Alldritt, in particular, looks very bad. Tonga have got away with one if not two yellow cards so can count themselves lucky.

England’s players will no doubt be recovering after yesterday’s win against Argentina, and watching this match on telly. I wonder what they make of France?

37 min: They do get the line-out right. It goes short and Tonga set up a driving maul. They make a few very hard-fought yards against this massive French pack, and continue to drive it on to nearly under the posts, moving through seven phases. France manage to hold firm, right under their posts, for a few seconds, but then it looks like Takulua is over for the try! TMO check. The referee tells his TMO he thinks it’s no try. But I think it’s on the line ...

36 min: With 10 points in it, a Tongan try would have brought about some French nerves. At 17-0, it’s slipping away from the Pacific Islanders. But now they win a penalty at a scrum and will have a chance to get on the board before half-time. They kick for touch around the French 22, on the left. Can they get the line-out right?

30 min: Possession for Tonga from a scrum, but another handling error then brings a French scrum. Tonga have made a lot of mistakes, but this is proving a real test for France.

28 min: France centre Raka embarks on another thrilling run through the Tongan defence, around halfway, and the crowd are on their feet. He loses the ball forward after an excellent tackle by full-back Veainu, and then there’s a bit of a scuffle that the referee is having to sort out.

27 min: Camille Chat, the hooker, makes another strong carry for France. He has been a real livewire so far. Now, the TMO is having a look at the late hit by Sam Lousi on French No 8 Alldritt. But it’s just a penalty. Alan Quinlan says - “I give up.” He clearly thinks Lousi should be in the bin. It was a late hit and you’d have to say it looked cynical, a hard hit to the ribs of the unsuspecting Alldritt.

26 min: Photos from the early stages:

24 min: Again, Tonga waste a good attacking position. France turn it over, Vakatawa makes a burst through the middle and pulls off a nice off-load in contact. But then it’s lost forward and Tonga will have the scrum.

22 min: Vuna is getting a taste for this now ... another big hit from the No 14 forces a turnover for Tonga and they work the ball left, with pace, and stretch the French defence this way and that. Ntamack is then penalised for slapping down a pass when the ball is moved back towards the right wing, and Tonga kick it for the corner. It’s a 10-point game and Tonga want a try of their own, to fight right back into this match.

19 min: Tonga win a penalty at a scrum, kick for touch, and then win good line-out ball in the French half. A bit of defending to do for the French now, for the first time. Tonga keep it tight and try to bash away at the French defence with some big carries, but the ball is lost in contact, and Cooper Vuna pulls off an excellent tackle to stop a French counterattack.

18 min: Here’s the Tongan haka:

14 min: A replay shows Tonga No 4 Lousi putting his shoulder in dangerously at a ruck. There is no card, but there is a penalty. Ntamack pulls it wide. On commentary, Alan Quinlan is saying that was a clear yellow card. Maybe there will be a citing for Lousi.

13 min: Veainu puts up a very good kick into the French 22, which is initially dealt with well by Ntamack. But Tonga turn it over in a dangerous area for France, but almost immediately cough up possession to their opponents again, and France power down to the other end. A missed opportunity for Tonga there.

11 min: Full-back Medard gets involved now with a lovely no-look off-load to Vakatawa on the left wing, but the try-scorer spills this one, and Tonga have a chance to kick for territory, for the first time spending a few seconds in the French half ...

9 min: Under defensive pressure, fly-half Faiva seems to take out Penaud while they compete for a high ball, but there is no sanction from the ref. Tonga have the put-in at a scrum on their own 22. France have a stranglehold on this match in the early stages.

2 min: An attacking line-out for France, and they batter away at the defensive line a couple of times, before the fly-half Ntamack puts in a smart low kick to the corner. From the resulting line-out, France force a penalty, and they will kick for the posts.

The All Blacks played some lovely stuff earlier. Let’s hope for plenty more from France and Tonga.

Le Marseillaise ... simply the best national anthem in the world. Now, time for the haka.

The teams are walking out. A couple of anthems, a haka, some taiko drumming, and we’ll be ready to go.

Now we are on the subject of French rugby - this, from Bayonne yesterday, is ludicrously good:

ITV pundit Sean Fitzpatrick: “I’m hoping today, against Tonga, France are going to turn up ... they have the talent, but they just don’t deliver on the world stage enough.”

ITV just ran a highlights package of Tonga’s shock win against France at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in Wellington, New Zealand. France went on to make the final at that tournament, of course. How Tonga would love to register their first win of their 2019 campaign today.

Nic Berry, from Australia, is our referee today. His assistants are Matthew Carley, from England and Paul Williams from New Zealand. Ben Skeen, also from New Zealand, is the TMO.

The All Blacks have just run in a whopping 11 tries against Namibia, and as emphatic as that sounds, they didn’t have things all their own way at Tokyo Stadium.

Robert Kitson is our man on the scene - read his report here: