Samoa romp to big win over Cook Islands to start World Cup prep
Samoa have started their Rugby League World Cup preparations in style, defeating a gallant Cook Islands side 42-12 despite fielding an understrength team in the Pacific Test.
There will be tougher challenges waiting for Samoa at the World Cup in October than the Cook Islands, ranked 22nd in the world, but they can nevertheless take confidence from Saturday night’s win at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
Samoa won just one of nine games immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic and their ability to snap a run of outs without their State of Origin stars bodes well.
Not all nine of those with Samoan heritage playing in Origin II will take the field for their country at the World Cup, but Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton, Murray Taulagi, Junior Paulo and Jeremiah Nanai all look likely.
Boasting 1123 more games of NRL experience than their rivals, Samoa inflicted the damage in the opening and closing 20 minutes, when they were best able to capitalise on their dominance through the middle third.
Left-edge combination Izack Tago and Taylan May brought their chemistry from Penrith to the international arena and finished with three tries between them, while Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma enhanced his try-scoring prowess at the southwest Sydney ground.
Nofoaluma has scored 17 tries from 24 club appearances for the Tigers at Campbelltown and added four more to that tally on Saturday night.
He picked off a Reece Joyce pass midway through the second half to lock in his hat-trick and chased down a long-range kick for his fourth try.
Manly can expect to be without Josh Aloiai for round 16 after the Samoan middle forward knocked himself out attempting to tackle Reubenn Rennie.
Aloiai was motionless on the ground for almost five minutes and officials ran a stretcher onto the field.
Aloiai managed to walk off with assistance although he looks at long odds to be cleared for play in Thursday night’s NRL clash against Melbourne.
If Manly coach Des Hasler needs consolation, though, he could find it on Josh Schuster’s highlights reel.
Schuster is tipped to play five-eighth for the Sea Eagles from next season and proved he’ll be up to the task with two pin-point kicks that led to tries in the second half.
The Samoan national anthem brought Schuster to tears before the game in a potent reminder of just how much the return of international rugby league means to the players.
“If you’re not there then you can’t really explain the feelings that I was feeling out there singing the anthem in front of my family,” Schuster said.
“It was the first time I’d represented my country. It’s probably a night that I’ll never forget.”
The Cook Islands did well to turn the game into an arm-wrestle in the 20 minutes either side of halftime just when Samoa threatened to run away with the Test.
They had three tries denied by the bunker before they were finally rewarded for their patience when Davvy Moale barged over midway through the second stanza.
But Samoa’s ability to both win the battle for yardage and to wreak havoc on the edges was always going to make things difficult for the Cook Islands.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to comments