RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP
TOA SAMOA COMPETES IN RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP.
Toa Samoa loses to Fiji in RLWC 4-22 Fiji's Vitale Junior Roqica goes over for a try past Samoa's Ben Roberts, during the Rugby League World Cup quarter-final. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
BBC Sport SAMOA (0) 4
FIJI (14) 22
Fiji will meet Australia in the World Cup semi-finals at Wembley next Saturday after a battling win over Samoa in Warrington. Aaron Groom and Wes Naiqama both scored first-half tries while Vitale Junior Roqica went over later in the game. Naiqama converted all three tries and kicked two penalties for the Fijians, who played with greater composure. Antonio Winterstein scored the only try for Samoa, who lost Penani Manumalealii to injury in a disappointing display. Semi-final line-upNew Zealand v England (13:00 GMT) Australia v Fiji (15:30 GMT) Ties to be played on 23 November at Wembley Stadium Fiji will now hope to do better than the 54-0 drubbing they received from the Kangaroos in the 2008 semi-finals. Akuila Uate played a key role in the opening try, breaking through the Samoa line and passing inside for the supporting Groom to cross. Naiqama converted and added a penalty three minutes later. Samoa were dealt a blow when half-back Manumalealii was forced off and they struggled with their shape thereafter. Fiji enjoyed the better of the possession in a bruising encounter and extended their lead eight minutes before the break when Groom's kick was missed by the Samoa defence and Naiqama went in for a score he also converted. Samoa found it hard to test the Fiji line but finally got their challenge up and running on 58 minutes when the ball was played across the line for Winterstein to dive in out wide, but Anthony Milford narrowly missed the touchline conversion. The try lifted Samoa but Fiji inched further ahead 12 minutes from time when Tim Lafai was penalised and put on report for a high tackle on Jayson Bukuya and Naiqama kicked the penalty. And Roqica ensured Fiji go into their semi-final on a positive note by crossing with two minutes remaining after a darting run from Akuila Uila and an offload from Apisai Koroisau. Australia reached the last four with a thumping 62-0 defeat of the USA on Saturday. Fiji captain Petero Civoniceva: "It's great feeling to know that potentially my last game will be played at (one of) two amazing venues. "I feel I've been very blessed. I started this rugby league ride in 1998 and to be still here, I feel very proud of that. "I'm really looking forward to enjoying the week, taking it all in with my team-mates." Samoa coach Matt Parish: "We didn't play that well but overall I'm happy with the tournament. "Unfortunately we came up against a better team on the day but personally it has been one of the best five weeks of my life." |
Rugby League World Cup 2013: Fiji & Samoa set to do battle
RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINAL: FIJI V SAMOA
A place in the 2014 Four Nations Series could be on the line when Fiji and Samoa meet in the last of the World Cup quarter-finals in Warrington on Sunday. The winners will face Australia in the semi-finals, and it is widely expected the tournament's fourth-best team will join the Kangaroos, England and New Zealand in the Four Nations. Fiji will be without banned loose forward Korbin Sims for the game. Samoa will be missing forward Leeson Ah Mau, who is also suspended. Play mediaCannot play media. You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version Rugby League World Cup 2013: Samoa celebrate France win The winners will meet Australia at Wembley next Saturday after the Kangaroos thrashed USA 62-0 in their quarter-final. Fiji, semi-finalists in 2008, were expected to reach the last four again this year while Samoa, captained by St Helens forward Sia Soliola, have undergone a transformation since losing to the England Knights in their warm-up match in Salford. Samoa won two of their three group matches after a 42-24 defeat by New Zealand. "We had a tough opening game but we fought hard and came away from that match with a lot of confidence," said stand-off Pita Godinet. "That self-belief served us well against Papua New Guinea and France, but we know there is still room for improvement, which we are aiming to keep doing." A 32-14 victory over Ireland was enough for Fiji to progress, despite losing to both Australia and England. Centre Wes Naiqama said: "We said from the start that we wanted to get past the group stage of the competition so we are really happy with where we are at the moment and we want to continue on and reach the semi-finals." SQUADS Fiji: Peni Botiki, Jayson Bukuya, Petero Civoniceva, Kane Evans, Aaron Groom, Marika Koroibete, Apisai Koroisau, Daryl Millard, Ryan Millard, Kevin Naiqama, Waisale Ligani Naiqama, Vitale Junior Roqica, Ashton Sims, Tariq Sims, James Storer, Akuila Uate, Eloni Vunakece, Sisa Ledua Waqa, Semi Radradra Turagasoli Waqavatu Samoa: David Fa'alogo, Pita Godinet, Faleniu Iosi, Tim Lafai, Joseph Leilua, Penani Manumalelii, Mose Masoe, Suaia Matagi, Anthony Milford, Junior Moors, Tony Puletua, Ben Roberts, Junior Sa'u, Michael Sio, Iosia Soliola, Sauaso Sue, Mark Taufua, Daniel Vidot, Antonio Winterstein. Toa Samoa beats France now face Fiji in elimination round
Radio Samoa International
Posted at 00:14 on 12 November, 2013 UTC A strong second half performance laid the platform for Samoa’s 22-6 victory over France at the Rugby League World Cup, setting up a quarter final clash against Pacific rivals Fiji. The Toa hit the front early in Perpignan with a Daniel Vidot try in the fourth minute, converted by Anthony Milford. In a ferocious first half three Samoan players were placed on report and prop Mose Masoe was sent to the sin bin, with the teams locked at 6-all at the break. Sauaso Sue became the fourth Toa player to be put on report for a foot trip in the second spell but on the scoreboard Samoa took control of the match, with Milford, Pita Godinet and Junior Moors all scoring to complete the win. Samoa will now take on Fiji on Monday in the last eight with France to face England a day earlier. The other quarter final matchups have New Zealand against Scotland and Australia versus the USA. News Content © Radio New Zealand International PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand |
Manu 'The Beast' Vatuvei scores three tries as Kiwis beat Samoa. Toa Samoa do the Siva Tau
October 28, 2013 By AAP, News.com.au 7:24AM The Kiwi superstar, the tournament's star attraction, was left red-faced after producing one of the biggest howlers in recent rugby league memory in New Zealand's 42-24 victory over Samoa. The dual international, in his first game for the Kiwis since the Trans-Tasman Test of 2008 after defecting to union, looked set to cap a solid performance with a try after splitting the defence 12 minutes to play.  Kiwi enforcer Sonny Bill Williams endures a rather embarrassing moment during the Kiwis win over Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup.
He crossed the line totally free of pressure but, inexplicably, casually strode deep into the in-goal area before slipping and putting a foot into touch before he could ground the ball.
"Embarrassed to not score, but nothing wrong with a lil humble pie," Williams tweeted shortly after the contest. 
The error aside rugby league's hottest property ticked all the defensive boxes and two of his trademark offloads ultimately lead to tries.
The Kiwis in the end were quick to exploit Samoa's midfield underbelly, pummelled repeatedly to good effect by a strong pack of forwards led by Mannering and outstanding prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. 
Four tries in the opening 23 minutes of the first-half, allied with three more in the first eight minutes of the second period saw off a Samoan side that battled back gamely for five tries of their own in a game of crushing impacts.
"There were some good parts where we stuck to our structures and processes and we did well," said Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney. 
"But Samoa played really well for a 20-25-minute period in the second-half... and consequently put some tries on us."
Samoa coach Matt Parish hailed his side's never-say-die attitude. "It was good, we're only going to get better as the tournament goes on," he said. "We knew New Zealand were going to come at us and that we needed to weather it." With the near-14,000 fans packed into the Halliwell Jones Stadium baying support for Samoa, it was the South Sea Islanders who started brightly, winger Daniel Vidot bundled into touch by Vatuvei. 
Full-back Josh Hoffman was on hand to finish off New Zealand's first scoring opportunity, a Williams offload opening up an acre of space, with Dean Whare providing the final pass, half-back Shaun Johnson kicking the first of five conversions.
The direct Kiwi approach up front sucked in the Samoan defenders, freeing up Roger Tuivasa-Sheck down the right wing, his inside pass seized upon by Mannering for the try. 
Tuivasa-Sheck, the Dally M 'Winger of the Year' after a superb NRL season, followed up with a try of his own minutes later, a superb one-handed, diving effort at the corner flag after quick hands in midfield again caught Samoa napping out wide.
With the impressive debutant Waerea-Hargreaves and Sam Kasiano driving holes up middle of the paddock, Mannering was again on hand to take a beautiful inside ball from Johnson for his second try. 
Vidot went close for Samoa after a lofted cross-field kick from Pita Godinet, and full-back Anthony Milford and replacement prop Mose Masoe looked dangerous every time they had the ball in hand.
And finally Samoa, who suffered a humiliating 52-16 defeat by a second-string England team in a warm-up last week, got their rewards when Roberts dummied, fended off Sam Moa and crossed in the left corner. Vatuvei, the New Zealand Warriors' all-time leading try-scorer, got the Kiwis' fifth try just minutes into the second period, latching on to a cross-kick. 
Dummy-half Issac Luke crossed a minute later with the Samoans in disarray. Vatuvei blasted his way over for his second before the Islanders made a fightback with the Kiwis guilty of clock-watching.
First Leilua and then, to the delight of the partisan crowd, Penani Manumeasili crossed for tries as the Samoans upped their physicality. When Samoan prop Suaia Matagi crashed over from short range, the crowd erupted, and the Kiwis were left with even more to think about when winger Antonio Winterstein latched on to a loose ball to score. Vatuvei bagged his hat-trick as the Kiwis closed down the game to look forward to what should be another partisan reception against France, 9-8 victors over Papua New Guinea, in Avignon on Friday. Fulltime: NEW ZEALAND 42 (M Vatuvei 3 S Mannering 2 J Hoffman I Luke R Tuivasa-Sheck tries S Johnson 5 goals) bt SAMOA 24 (J Leilua P Manumalealii S Matagi B Roberts A Winterstein tries A Milford 2 goals) at Halliwell Jones Stadium. |
