Samoa put up big score against Germany in first leg
An Ed Fidow hat-trick helped Samoa take a giant stride towards Pool A at Rugby World Cup 2019 following a comfortable 66-15 first-leg play-off victory over Germany in Apia on Saturday – report World Rugby.
The hosts ran in 10 tries as Alapati Leiua, Melani Matavao (2), Jack Lam, Iosefa Tekori, Dwayne Polataivaia and a penalty try were added to Fidow’s treble. Ah See Tuala added 10 points with the boot, while Patrick Faapale came off the bench to kick a further two conversions.
Despite the margin of defeat, Germany’s work-rate cannot be questioned, and their commitment was rewarded with a second-half Jaco Otto double that briefly put pressure on Samoa. Raynor Parkinson, meanwhile, finished the match with five points from the kicking tee.
The visitors’ lack of experience against top opposition was telling, however, as the hosts secured a first win in 10 tests. The manner of their victory means that anything other than a resounding defeat in Heidelberg on 14 July will see them through to the World Cup in Japan next September.
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Samoa began the game at Apia Park as heavy favourites, and signalled their intention early on as Ofisa Treviranus won a turnover from kick-off to put them on the attack.
EARLY SCARE FOR SAMOA
Germany held out, however, and could have scored an early try had Steffen Liebig’s offload found the hands of centre partner Parkinson’s hands in the fifth minute.
The hosts survived that scare and having won the game’s first scrum two minutes later, scrum-half Matavao proved the catalyst for a seven phase move that ended in the opening try, scored by Leiua.
Tuala converted, before a Parkinson penalty cut Germany’s deficit to four points. Samoa had to wait less than two minutes to reaffirm their dominance, though, as Matavao took advantage of some slick handling from Tuala, Leiua and Sinoti Sinoti on the left wing to score his side’s second try.
Germany refused to give in, and launched an attack of their own on the Samoan line but Marcel Coetzee spilled possession within five metres of the line. And with just over 22 minutes of the first half gone Samoa scored their third try as Lam scuttled over from close range following good work from Joshua Tyrell and Matavao.
The hosts stretched their lead further within five minutes as Leiua punched a holed in the visiting defence before excellent handling from Tyrell set Fidow away to score his first try of the match in the right corner. The wing would notch his second before the break as he finished from close range.
FINAL FLOURISH
So far, so good for Samoa but it was Germany who finished the half on the front foot and they grew in confidence as they kept the match scoreless for the opening 10 minutes of the second period.
The resistance was broken by a penalty try, as their scrum crumbled under severe pressure from the attacking Samoans But undeterred the visitors found a second wind, and in the 58th minute Otto exploited a gap in the home defence before stepping past Tusi Pisi to score.
Matavao grabbed his second try minutes later, but when Otto went over for a brace of his own German fans would have been forgiven for dreaming of a late rally.
However, after replacement hooker Seilala Lam saw an effort chalked off by TMO Aaron Paterson – who deemed he had lost control before grounding – Tikori, Polataivaia and Fidow all crossed the whitewash in the final 10 minutes to add further gloss to the hosts’ victory.
Samoa head to Germany for the second leg knowing they can afford to lose by 50 points in Heidelberg and still progress to Japan.
Comments on RugbyPass
Like tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
14 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
13 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
14 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
14 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
14 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
13 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
14 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
14 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
14 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to comments