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Australia beat Samoa in Rugby League World Cup quarter-final – as it happened

This article is more than 6 years old
  • Kangaroos advance with 46-0 win in Darwin
  • Valentine Holmes scores five as hosts ease into semi-finals
 Updated 
Fri 17 Nov 2017 06.46 ESTFirst published on Fri 17 Nov 2017 04.00 EST
Valentine Holmes touches down to score a try for Australia against Samoa.
Valentine Holmes touches down to score a try for Australia against Samoa. Photograph: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
Valentine Holmes touches down to score a try for Australia against Samoa. Photograph: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

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Final Thoughts

The first Test ever played in Darwin has not exactly been a thriller. From go to woe-is-Samoa the Australians dominated and scored 9 tries to zip (with Smith converting the first eight of them). Winger Valentine Holmes grabbed the headlines with his five tries, the most scored by an Aussie in a World Cup match.

The Kangaroos dominated all the stats and even though it looked like they had another gear they did it easy, scoring virtually every time they got into Samoa’s 20m. Smith orchestrated the Australians well, the forwards got across the advantage line far too easily and with the space created Cronk, Morgan, Slater and Holmes thrived.

Thanks for joining me tonight. See you next time. Cheers.

A few words from man-of-the-match Val Holmes: “I’m speechless. I’m honoured to be the first [to score five tries]. Our main goal was to try and turn their big forwards around. The heat? It was physically and mentally tough. We were feeling it, they were feeling it.”

Frank Pritchard: “It was always going to be a tough night, playing against Australia. We gave it our best shot and the boys can hold their head high. It wasn’t the greatest tournament but we’ve got a young squad. We’ve got to show faith in them and build towards the future.”

Full-time: Australia 46-0 Samoa

Australia win and will now play the winner of New Zealand v Fiji in the first semifinal.

Samoa will begin an autopsy of their winless World Cup campaign which was a huge disappointment.

79 min: Leilua bustles his enormous frame down the right edge but he’s corralled and almost dragged into touch.

But from the following plays Samoa suddenly go all Harlem Globetrotters, making magic offloads and daring dashes forward, keeping the ball alive. But, typical of their night, they can’t make it count. A last gasp grubber into the Aussie in-goal is batted dead and that’s all she wrote.

TRY! Australia 46-0 Samoa (Holmes 74 min)

Holmes becomes the first player to score five tries in a World Cup match! And that was shockingly easy. Michael Morgan caught the Samoa drop out just inside his own half. He then passed to Klemmer for the hit up. But Klemmer fooled the approaching Samoa defence by immediately firing a long pass to his left. Holmes caught it, swerved inside a tackler and ran 40m to the line.

Smith misses his first of the night.

73 min: Samoa stymie an Aussie charge. Slater then grubbers ahead and the ball takes a wicked bounce forcing Tonumaipea to wait for it to drop. By the time it does he’s set upon and tackled in his own in-goal. Drop out.

70 min: Australia bring the ball out from their own line making 15m a carry. On the last Samoa charge down the Aussie kick before Frizell claims the rebound and, 35m out from the line, roosts the ball straight up in the air. It’s allowed to bounce but Tonumaipea finally snaffles the pill under pressure from Chambers.

66 min: Again Samoa put it down. Jazz Tevaga it was this time. Woods had a lazy arm in there but it popped out of Tevaga’s grasp all too easily. In response Australia go left before attempting a set play, and it almost comes off when Slater finds Chambers on the charge. He tries to free his arms to find Gagai outside him but, with the line wide open, the defender does well to hang on.

64 min: Wright comes off his wing to shut down Dugan. Australia go right before a kick, from Cronk, comes back to the middle. Slater jumps for it but it cannons off his chest.

62 min: Penalty to Australia for Samoa holding down the tackled man, 10m out from Samoa’s line. Here we go.

60 min: Samoa look like they can’t wait for this to be over. I’m of a mind to agree. Samoa knock on once they get inside Australia’s half.

TRY! Australia 42-0 Samoa (Holmes 55 min)

Oh boy, this is getting as ugly as a dropped meat pie. Slater wriggles and writhes inside his own half, offloads to Morgan who dances through some flapping arms to motor into open field. He runs to the 40m, passes inside to Cronk who, in turn, passes outside to Holmes – lurking out on the right side — who runs 20m to score under the posts. That’s his fourth try tonight.

Smith converts from right in front.

54 min: Yet again, Samoa fail to hold out Australia when defending their line.

I forgot to mention, Smith converted Holmes’ recent try, another one from the left touchline. He’s kicking beautifully tonight. And not just his conversions. He’s in-game kicking has been exemplary.

TRY! Australia 36-0 Samoa (Holmes 51 min)

From the play the ball, Australia go left with intent. Morgan passes to Slater who, turning his back on his tackler, flings a no-look cut out pass to Holmes. The Cronulla flyer runs 10m before ‘Superman-ing’ over the line inside the left corner post. What a pass, what a finish!

Up, up and away: Valentine Holmes bags his fourth try of the night. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images) Photograph: Matt King/Getty Images
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51 min: Australia go right down the other end, too easily I’d say. On the fourth, Frizell charges to the line on an angle. He looks like a man determined to bust through a brick wall. He drags two defenders over the line and tries to wrestle the ball down. We go upstairs for a look and, yup, he’s being held up.

49 min: Another penalty to Samoa brings them to the Aussis 20m line. C’mon, Samoa, get on the board!

Samoa get close to the line with a series of one-out runs before going right on the last. Pritchard finds Leilua who can’t get the ball on to Wright in time to beat the converging defence. The ball hits the deck and Dugan cleans up.

48 min: Deep in their own half Samoa win their first penalty of the night. Things are looking up for the men in blue.

46 min: Samoa come close to their first try after Leilua shimmies on the right edge and slips a pass to his winger, Wright. Wright is 5m out with a sight of the line ahead of him but Dugan does well, recovering from being bumped off by Leilua to tackle Wright into touch.

44 min: A huge hit by Matagi on McLean sees the ball pop out. A hint of a shoulder charge but I’m happy with it.

42 min: Samoa concede an early penalty and Australia will be on the charge again.

Here’s Dugan being held up just short of the line before Australia shift it right. Slater chimes in and angles towards the right corner hoping to draw in a defender before passing wide to Gagai. His pass goes astray, however, and Lafai picks the ball up.

As the teams emerge from the sheds for the second half we can but hope Samoa find something from somewhere. If they can keep the losing deficit to 30 they’ll have done remarkably well. Can’t see it though.

The unfortunate thing about this game to date is that the Australians aren’t exactly playing out of their skins. They’ve a 70% completion rate, which is fairly ordinary. It’s just that Samoa have played so poorly. They have a mere 47% completion rate. I hate to harp on this, but Samoa’s conditioning doesn’t appear to be all it could be. Have they spent too long grazing at the post-season buffet?

Gotta love the other panellists papering over Samoa's performance.

MG: Samoa are woeful. 😂 #AUSvSAM @markMGgeyer

— James Smith (@JamesSmith1001) November 17, 2017

Half-time: Australia 30-0 Samoa

Australia will enjoy the air-conditioning a lot more than Samoa after that. This could get very ugly for Samoa.

39 min: Do the Aussies have time for another before the break? Maybe not. Oh dear, maybe they do. Getting possession of the ball with a full six under their belt and less than 60 seconds to play, the Samoans are pinged for a very marginal forward pass from dummy half. Australia with a full set from 30m out.

But a let off for Samoa. Smith, playing halfback, knocks on as the ball comes out of the scrum. That Smith, what a rubbish halfback.

TRY! Australia 30-0 Samoa (Morgan 36 min)

Morgan gets a quick-time double, and Australia score another try. Every time they get in the Samoan 30m they score; the Samoan’s don’t have enough fingers for the dyke at the moment.

The try comes after Smith grubbers inside for a chasing Cronk, what with the Samoan fullback, Tonumaipea, being up in the line. Cronk is taken out but Morgan is there to run through and ground the ball.

Smith converts.

TRY! Australia 24-0 Samoa (Morgan 31 mins)

Australia score their fourth. Slater dances around in midfield like a sprite on Red Bull and after attracting three tackles he slips an offload to Smith. Australia ferry the ball to the left where Morgan catches 10m. He runs sideways dummying to his left before stepping inside to dive over.

Smith converts his easiest one of the night.

30 min: On the last Dugan appears to be wrapped up 10m out. But he manages to put the ball on the boot and the ball sits up nicely in the Samoa in-goal where Holmes homes in. Matthew Wright gets there first but he’s tackled in his own in-goal. Drop out.

28 min: Samoa really do look stuffed at the moment. The heat seems to be affecting them more than the Aussies, though I expect the pace with which the Aussies are playing isn’t helping. A dropped ball on the half isn’t what Samoa need right now but there it is.

TRY! Australia 18-0 Samoa (Slater 24 min)

Slater is rewarded for a great opening, and this try is straight out of the Maroons’ playbook. From in front of the uprights, Smith passes right to Cronk who keeps the movement going to Gillett. Gillett straightens momentarily and dishes a short ball back inside to Slater running a lovely angle. He cuts straight through to score.

Smith converts from the right, 15m to the right of the posts.

23 min: A strong charge by Jordan McLean drags Australia to a couple of metres from the Samoa line. Samoa hold him down too long and Australia are awarded a penalty. Can Samoa hold them out? Nope.

Jordan Mclean charges forward against Samoa at Darwin Stadium. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images) Photograph: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
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21 min: Jarome Luai finds touch on the Australia 20m and no-one is in a hurry to restart play, least of all the Samoans. Five-eighth Luai, incidentally, is yet to make his NRL debut. Tough ask coming up against the Kangaroos.

TRY! Australia 12-0 Samoa (Holmes 18 min)

Australia go 100m to score their second! Roberts, for Samoa, executes a lovely kick on the last that has Slater running into his own in-goal to retrieve it. He looks certain to be tackled in goal but does just enough to get into the field of play, just inside the left corner post. Holmes, at dummy half, scoots 10m, passes outside to Cronk, who draws his man and returns the pass to Holmes who runs 90m to score in the left corner.

Smith again converts from the left touchline. That’s the toughest kick for a left footer and he’s now nailed two in a row.

16 min: In the following set, Australia make ground too easily, runs by Chambers and then Slater, running off an inside ball from Cronk, getting them close. A pass later Gagai crashes over in the right corner wearing Samoan defenders like turtle shells.

We go upstairs for a look. No try. Gagai lost the ball, with the help of a Samoan hand, as he fell towards the line.

15 min: After a big run from Papalii, Samoa shift it left where Leutele, inexplicably, boots the ball downfield and over the deadball line. It’s not just that he had too much on it but that none of his teammates was expecting that.

11 min: Possession is close to even at 52%-48% Australia but already Australia look most likely to break the line. Samoa are huffing and puffing a little here.

TRY! Australia 6-0 Samoa (Holmes 9)

Australia march downfield with the help of a penalty. Cronk stands on the blindside, shapes to kick across field but chips back towards the blindside. Josh Dugan races through, leaps highest to bat the ball to his left where Valentine Holmes does remarkably well to catch it around his bootlaces and, in the next motion, dive over in the left corner.

Smith converts from the left touchline.

Holmes flies over after a brilliant catch. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images) Photograph: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
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6 min: Bunty Afoa, takes a hit up in his own half, his impressive head of hair bouncing as he runs.

Samoa kick for touch, it deflects off an Aussie, and is headed for the sideline when Holmes dives over the line and bats the ball back to Slater before the ball touches the ground. But the ref mistakingly thinks Holmes had a foot on the line. That means a Samoan scrum, 20m out.

Can they strike early and put the wind up the Aussies? No. They knock on immediately. A wasted opportunity, that.

5 min: Smith attempts a 40/20, another kick early in the count. He doesn’t quite make it, but clearly the Aussies are intent on turning around this big Samoan team. Some of them would have the turning circle of an ocean liner.

3 min: Cronk, on the 4th, tries to catch Samoa unawares with an early kick to his right winger, Gagai. But Samoa clean up, a smart catch taken by Lafai, I think it was.

2 min: Australia end their first set with a Smith grubber into the corner. Paulo takes an early hit up for Samoa, dragging his 118kg through the thick humidity.

The Samoans have just treated the crowd to a stirring Haka. The crowd were near silent through the whole thing which, weirdly, added to the atmospherics.

Kick-off is nigh.

The players are doing their last minute preparations in the air-conditioned sheds. They’d probably prefer to play the game IN the sheds, but what can you do?

Out on the ground the deep, earthy burr of a didgeridoo is floating over the ground awaiting the players’ arrival.

And here they come! Samoa first, wearing blue shirts, shorts and socks. Now the Aussies, led out by Cameron Smith. The Kangaroos are in their green jerseys with a gold chevron, or is it a double chevron? Anyway, they look good.

Anthems are being played now.

Here’s Samoa’s:

Demonstrating the work still to be done in international league, Australia have played Samoa only twice, winning on both occasions, 66-10 in 2010 and 44-18 in 2014.

Here are the highlights from that last meeting, in Wollongong:

With the luxury of talent at his disposal, Mal Meninga has been able to test out various players and combinations so far, giving his players opportunities to shake the lead out ahead of the business end of the tournament.

Tonight he’s opted for the same 17 who faced England in the tournament opener, an indication surely that this is his first choice line-up. There are a number of changes to the team that struggled to get out of second gear in beating Lebanon 34-0 last start: in come Billy Slater, Josh Maguire, Josh Dugan, Michael Morgan, Tyson Frizell and Will Chambers. Out go Tom Trbojevic, Cameron Munster, James Maloney, Felise Kaufusi, Josh Mansour and Ben Hunt.

For Samoa, Ben Roberts , Frank Pritchard and Suaia Matagi come in at the expense of Frank Winterstein, Pita Godinet and Sam Tagataese.

Samoa’s best hope will be to win the forward battle. As such, a lot rests on the prodigious shoulders of forwards Junior Paulo, Herman Ese’ese, Frank Pritchard, Leeson Ah Mau and Josh Papalii.

Papalii, of course, played for the Kangaroos in 2016 and was selected by Mal Meninga for this year’s Anzac Test but the Canberra forward was a late withdrawal from that game after being convicted of drink driving. Earlier this week Papalii expressed his displeasure at missing out on Kangaroos World Cup selection – so he gets the opportunity tonight to exert revenge which, should it happen, would surely be disconcerting for him in some way.

In the interest of spreading the talent I’m not against all this swapping of allegiances but it is problematic.

Oh, yes, Australia’s lock tonight, Josh McGuire, played for Samoa the last time these two nations met – at the 2014 Four Nations.

Preamble

Good evening, sportsfans. After an entertaining buildup during which we’ve been treated to some thrilling matches (Tonga v New Zealand, woof!) we’ve reached the knock-out stage of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

Tonight, the reigning champions, the Kangaroos of Australia, will take on Samoa in the giant sauna also known as Darwin. Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos are hot favourites, not least for being the pre-eminent force in international rugby league but also for having won their opening three WC games by a combined score of 104-10. At the same time Samoa have been very disappointing. Indeed, through a quirk of the draw (I say quirk, some would same glaring flaw), the Samoans have got to this point without having won a game.

It’s no crime to lose to New Zealand and Tonga, but it’s the margins of Samoa’s defeats – 38-8 and 32-18 respectively – that have been particularly concerning. The Samoans did draw their third pool match but, and no disrespect is intended, that was against Scotland whose remains could only be identified by dental records after New Zealand and Tonga finished with them.

Samoa are better than they’ve shown, and perhaps tonight will be the night they play to their potential. I don’t for a minute mean to suggest they will beat Australia tonight but – and here’s hoping – they could make life uncomfortable for the Kangaroos. Whether that’s pebble-in-the-shoe uncomfortable, or passing-a-kidney-stone uncomfortable remains to be seen.

Kick-off: Darwin Stadium at 7pm local, 8.30pm AEDT

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