Samoa: ‘The World Cup is always full of upsets… you need to have belief’

Samoa have failed to qualify for the knockout rounds at the last six Men’s Rugby World Cups, but they are intent on snapping that streak in two years. With a new format introducing a round of 16, there is now more opportunity than before for teams to progress.

There was only one more World Cup spot up for grabs when Samoa made their way to Dubai for The Final Qualification Tournament last month. Samoa secured the 24^th qualification spot with a 13-all draw with Belgium, following wins over Brazil and Namibia.

The tournament draw on Wednesday saw Samoa placed in Pool E alongside Pacific Nations Cup rivals the USA and Japan, and Northern Hemisphere juggernauts France. Samoa finished sixth at the 2025 PNC, having lost to the USA 29-13 on September 14.

Samoa were in the fourth band of teams for the draw, with World Rugby’s rankings suggesting they are the least likely to progress. Coach Lemalu Tusiata is full of belief two years out from the World Cup, seeing a spot in the knockout stages as the pass mark.

“The teams in our group all have a rich history of rugby and of playing at the World Cup, and we’re just really grateful to be a part of it,” Tusiata told reporters.

“The World Cup is always full of upsets and I was part of that game as a member of the coaching stuff. You need to have belief that you can go out there and win, no matter who you are playing.

“The knockout stage at the very least, absolutely. And once you get to the knockouts anything can happen, so that’s the target.”

After defeating Samoa in the PNC, the USA returned to the Test arena about six weeks later for their Northern Tour. The Eagles were beaten comprehensively by Scotland, before an improved performance against Georgia, and finally a 26-18 win over Romania.

Japan pose another tough challenge in World Cup pool play, having qualified for the last two PNC finals against Fiji. The Brave Blossoms fell short of a win against Wales in Cardiff during the Quilter Nations Series, before bouncing back with a last-gasp 25-23 triumph over Georgia.

“Obviously we played USA and we lost to them. They’re tracking really well. Japan are playing really well – they beat Georgia at home in November, that is not an easy feat. They’re developing really well as well, so it’s going to be an exciting pool,” Tusiata said.

“It’s all about preparation, making sure our best players are available, not just in the lead-up to the World Cup but in these crucial campaigns before the build-up, where we can build combinations. This is what is going to be important for us.”