Dragons duo Fetuli Paea and Anzelo Tuitavuki suffered defeat as their Tongan side lost 55-31 to Georgia in Tbilisi.
The Sea Eagles scored five tries but were ultimately defeated by Georgia with the hosts securing top spot in their pool following their fifth win from five.
The Sea Eagles’ scores came through captain Ben Tameifuna, flanker Semisi Paea, John Tapueluelu, Veikoso Poloniati and Lotu Inisi, brother of Dragons centre Fine.
However, ultimately they were overpowered by their higher ranked opponents with Georgia running in eight tries in a hugely entertaining fixture.
Tonga started well, responding to Georgian fly-half Luke Matkava’s third minute penalty with a try from Tameifuna who crashed over from a tap penalty.
With Tongan flyhalf Patrick Pellegrini yellow carded for a deliberate knock-on Georgia took full advantage, scoring three tries as hooker Vano Karkadze scored a brace, first from a driving maul and then from short range, before wing Dachi Papunashvili’s dancing feet set up Vasil Lobzhanidze.
With the half coming to a close, Cardiff flanker Semisi Paea broke from a maul to hit back, meaning his side trailed 22-14 at the break.
Georgia received their own yellow card for wing Akaki Tabutsadze after an offside with Tonga capitalising immediately as fullback Taniela Filimone’s insane 20 yard pass out the back door finding wing Tapueluelu to score in the corner.
From there, Georgia wrestled back control. Captain Davit Niniashvili showing good feet from a quick tap to score before a brilliant hands freed the returned Tabutsadze to score.
A further Georgian try came through flanker Beka Saginadze after offloading from the front row with a trio of Matkava conversions putting the home side 43-21 in front with a quarter of the game remaining.
Tongan second row Poloniati scored out wide but another yellow card for the visitors let to Tabutsadze’s second in the corner.
Inisi’s try with six minutes remaining looked to be the final score before replacement scrumhalf Gela Aprasidze danced over for Georgia in the final minute.
Tonga are now fourth and will finish their inaugural Nations Cup campaign against Hong Kong next Saturday at the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground.
