LEICESTER – Argentina have all but achieved their first goal at Rugby World Cup 2015, with victory over Tonga giving them a foothold in the quarter-finals.

Fly-half Nicolas Sanchez claimed 25 points with a try and eight successful kicks at goal as they recovered from a slow start against the ‘Ikale Tahi to triumph 45-16.

Success against Namibia in seven days will guarantee the Pumas a place in the last eight, while Tonga must upset reigning champions New Zealand on Friday and hope Argentina slip up if they are to claim second place.

Tonga captain Nili Latu felt a flurry of late points added a misleading gloss to the final score after a strong effort from the Pacific islanders.

“We believed we were in the game until the 60th minute, but we let ourselves down with ball control and discipline that didn’t help us in crucial times,” Latu said.

“We got within three points after half-time and confidence was building. The scoreboard did not reflect the way the boys put their bodies on the line.”

Tonga is now in preparation to take on the All Blacks in what might be the Pacific islanders last World Cup 2015 outing at Newcastle upon Tyne on Friday.

On Saturday at Stadium MK at Milton Keynes, there was little doubt among the sell-out 29,019 crowd who were the better side on the afternoon in the Pool B match between Samoa and Japan – Samoa coach Stephen Betham and fly-half Tusi Pisi among them.

“I don’t think they surprised us. They brought what we expected. They have really caught up with the rest of the world,” Betham said.

Pisi, who is based in Japan with the Suntory Sungoliath club, said: “Their self-belief has really come along over the years. Any team coached by Eddie Jones is going to do well. They played the full 80 minutes today and deserved to win.”

Japan won the match 25-5.

Betham has accepted full responsibility for Samoa’s capitulation against Japan.

“We let ourselves down,” said Betham. “When we got the ball we panicked a bit. Saying that, the boys didn’t go out to lose.

“Our country is waking up now in pain and I’m sorry for causing that pain. It’s my responsibility as head coach. We still have one game to go and I really want to make amends,” he added

The Manu now face Scotland in Newcastle on Saturday. The Scots will be aiming to secure a quarter-final place but Samoa prop Anthony Perenise wants to give their fans at home something to smile about.

“We just want to finish on a high,” he said. “I feel like we haven’t come out firing in this tournament. We have got nothing to lose now, so I hope we just play how we have wanted to play and throw everything at it.”

Fiji coach John McKee has named his team for the Pool A match against Uruguay at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes tomorrow.

It will be Fiji’s oldest team at a Rugby World Cup for 12 years, with an average age of 29 years and 108 days.

Fiji have made four personnel changes and one positional change to the team which lost 23-13 to Wales.

Nemani Nadolo returns from suspension needing four tries to equal Fiji’s record for most test tries held by Sanivalati Laulau, who scored 20 between 1980 and 1985.

McKee said his team had played well in all three of their defeats at RWC 2015.

“We have not been consistent enough in our play of thefull 80 minutes to get a win,” he added.

“This will be our challenge come Tuesday – to work well as a team across the whole 80 minutes, in our effort to win the game.

“The mood in the camp has remained positive and the players have trained well in preparation for this game and are very focused towards making their mark for Fiji Rugby in our final Worled Cup game.”