Samoa survive huge scare from Belgium to qualify for RWC 2027

Samoa held their nerve to claim the 24th and final place at Rugby World Cup 2027 after a nail-biting 13-13 draw with Belgium in Dubai was enough for them to win the Final Qualification Tournament by a single point.

Belgium led 6-3 with just over 15 minutes remaining, but Abraham Papali’i made a huge impact for Samoa off the bench and it was his try that ultimately saved the day.

The Black Devils made them sweat until the very end, scoring a try of their own, but Samoa have made a 10th straight World Cup … just.

Samoa pushed all the way by battling Belgium

The Final Qualification Tournament ended in the same way as the one in Dubai did four years ago, in a draw, but this time it was Samoa, not Portugal, who breathed a huge sigh of relief at the final whistle as the qualification campaign for RWC 2027 ended with a 13-13 scoreline.

Samoa finished top of the standings as a result, having picked up one more bonus point than Belgium in the opening two matches of the round-robin tournament.

Samoa’s physicality paid off early, as Belgium had a tough time holding the ball and ultimately were cornered inside their 22. After several phases, Samoa’s patience was rewarded with a penalty that Jacob Umaga successfully converted.

A yellow card to Niko Jones for making contact with Matias Remue’s head changed the momentum and Remue comfortably slotted the resulting penalty through the poles.

However, at the 22-minute mark, it was Belgium’s turn to go down to 14 players, as wing Isaac Montoisy was guilty of a no-arms tackle, granting the opposition a golden chance to take back the lead.

Nonetheless, Samoa were profligate in attack, with Va’afauese Apelu Maliko and Melani Nanai knocking on inches from the try-line, allowing tackle hungry Belgium to get out of a tense period unscathed.

A second Remue penalty put the Black Devils in front and a dream debut appearance at the Rugby World Cup appeared to be on the cards.

The Stade Toulousain fly-half had another opportunity to increase his side’s score, but the kick went wide, to bring an end of a try-less first half in which the Black Devils held a 6-3 point advantage.

For most of the second half, the scoreline remained the same, thanks to Belgium’s monumental defensive performance, with Laurent Dossat’s side denying Samoa time and time again.

Unfortunately for the Europeans, Samoa’s persistence was eventually rewarded, as after 12 phases, Abraham Papali’i wrestled his way into the in-goal area. Umaga added the conversion, with Samoa now having a 10-06 lead.

The Benetton Treviso maestro upped the stakes with another penalty kick, before Matias Remue produced a stunning solo run. The Belgian fly-half dazzled through the Samoan defence, giving a good enough platform for Jean-Maurice Decubber to land an equalising try.

Despite the final scare, Samoa managed to control the last couple of minutes and hold on, with Papali’i kicking the ball out to start the celebrations.

Samoa has qualified for its 10th Men’s Rugby World Cup, having survived a tough last two years to win the last ticket to Australia 2027. But they were pushed all the way.

Namibia sign off with thrilling comeback win

After an early scare, Namibia recovered from a 17-point deficit to defeat a thundering Brazilian side 40-31 in the first of the evening’s two games.

The Brazilians went on a points rampage from kick-off, collecting 17 points in under 20 minutes. Fullback Lucas Tranquez slotted in a penalty kick before scoring his first try of the tournament, following a stunning interception from Lorenzo Massari.

On a high, the Tupis kept pressuring Namibia and eventually found themselves five metres from the try-line, prop Leonel Moreno plundering over from the back of a maul.

With Tranquez adding the extras, Brazil led 17-0 midway through the first half.

Having nothing to play for but pride, the Welwitschias fought their way back into the game and finally put their first points on the board. Prop Joshua Bester crashed inside the Brazilian in-goal area after a thumping Namibian 15-metre maul drive.

While Brazil added a third try to the tally, the remainder of the first half was all Namibia, with the African side claiming two more converted tries until the break.

The Tupis managed to keep their noses in front before the turnaround, but it came with a cost as wing Sérgio Luna received a 20-minute red card after an illegal high tackle.

Namibia completed the comeback three minutes into the second half, thanks to an incisive run from Danie van der Merwe with the wing diving in the corner. Loubser didn’t miss from the tee, giving his side a 28-24 lead.

To add insult to injury, centre Robert Tenório was sent to the sin bin, leaving Brazil playing with 14 men for an extra ten minutes. Namibia made the most of it, as they extended their lead twice, following Jurgen Meyer’s second and another from Jay-Cee Nel.

The Brazilians still had time to add a fourth, as replacement back row Matheus Cláudio worked his way to the Namibian try-line and placed down the ball, a consolation prize after an inspiring performance.

After three consecutive defeats, Namibia end 2025 with a win, while Brazil return home winless but with several confident performances that they can build on.