Samoa opened their Rugby League World Cup campaign with a 78-4 demolition of France at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Friday, a result Nine.com.au reports as Samoa's highest-ever score and biggest winning margin. The match was the first of a double-header featuring Samoan teams, and the crowd was made up almost entirely of Samoa supporters.
The defining performance came from bench player Sua Fa'alogo, who entered the game earlier than planned and finished with four tries. According to Nine.com.au, he becomes only the second bench player to score a World Cup hat-trick and joins Taylan May and David Nofoaluma on four tries in a single game for Samoa. The outlet notes Tim Lafai's record of six tries across an RLWC tournament is now within reach.
Why it matters
The margin and the scoreline set a new benchmark for Samoa at a World Cup, and they arrived despite an early setback. Deine Mariner, who had opened the scoring, left the field with what Nine.com.au describes as a potential hamstring injury, with Seven's Corey Parker saying on commentary that the player's emotion suggested his hamstring "may not be good."
Fa'alogo's response turned that loss into a footnote. Nine.com.au reports he scored moments after coming on, then set up fullback Tabuai-Fidow with a pass back inside. His later tries came from a cut-out pass by Jarome Luai and from a dive into the corner that brought up Samoa's 50th point. A fifth try was overturned by the Bunker.
France's night goes from bad to worse
France's problems began before the scoring got away from them. Five-eighth Cesar Rouge was forced off for a head injury assessment after taking a stray boot to the face in the opening exchanges, and Leo Darrelatour also left for a HIA as Nine.com.au described a calamitous start for the French side.
Samoa's early tries came through a sweeping backline movement finished by Mariner in the corner, then a towering bomb batted back by Mariner that ended with hooker Benaiah Ioelu diving over under the posts. Back-rower Jermaine McEwen added a third after an offload from captain Junior Paulo.
France did get on the board. Nine.com.au reports that after Garcia jumped out of hooker on the short side, Grossemy threw a flick pass to Aispuro-Bichet for a try. Earlier, Garcia had thrown a forward pass from dummy-half and reacted with visible frustration, and Samoa's Spencer Leniu was penalised for a shoulder charge without further action from referee Ashley Klein.
The second half offered France little relief. To'o levelled Mourgue with a tackle that forced a spill, allowing Crichton to race away for his first try of the night. Nine.com.au notes that coach Ben Gardiner will want those errors cleaned up with tougher fixtures ahead. Crichton later took a penalty goal as time expired; the kick hit the post and ricocheted to Ioelu, who scored to close out the 78-4 result. Molo had barged over from close range with two minutes remaining to push Samoa past 70 points.
A pre-match scene that set the tone
Nine.com.au's reporter, watching from a closed press box on the fourth floor, described the Siva Tau as producing goosebumps, with the crowd overwhelmingly behind Samoa. Captain Junior Paulo led the war cry with his eyes closed, and Spencer Leniu, Connelly Lemuelu and Jarome Luai were seen with tears on their faces during the national anthem.
The occasion carried extra weight for France captain Benjamin Garcia, who Nine.com.au notes is playing in his fourth and final World Cup campaign.
Samoa's next assignment will show whether the record win reflects their true level or a mismatch, while France must regroup quickly before the tournament gets away from them.
