SAMOA 76 WALES 0
JOHN DAVIDSON, CommBank Stadium, Parramatta, Friday

SAMOA worked over Wales with a wonderful 14-try-to-nothing smashing, laying down the challenge to England ahead of their final group game.

They bounced back from their opening defeat to Australia to put the sword through the Welsh in outstanding style, showcasing themselves as a rising power in the women’s game with their first victory of this tournament.

Pauline Piliae-Rasabale kicked ten conversions, while Tyra Ekepati grabbed a hat-trick and Destiny Mino-Sinapati and Mercedez Taulelei-Siala both finished with braces.

It was a terrible night for Wales, a week after they were bashed 70-6 by England in Perth.

Wales face Australia next, in what is a nightmare finish for their World Cup, while Samoa will be fired up to meet the English.

A sloppy start by Samoa in the opening stanza in Parramatta, with two dropped balls and a forward pass, gave Wales some excellent field position to attack from.

Samoa’s execution might have been off but their defence was excellent, and they scrambled hard to keep their opponents out.

It took seven minutes for the Pacific nation to work their way out of their own half but once they did, they started to cut loose and find holes easily in the loose Welsh defence.

The breakthrough came thanks to a bullocking run through the middle of the field by prop Lahika Clarke who was too big and too strong, crashing over with two defenders hanging off her.

Samoa made a statement by scoring again in the next set, working their way down the field and spreading the ball to the right wing, with Ekepati diving over acrobatically.

The floodgates started to open and Mino-Sinapati was the next to touch down.

Wales struggled to match Samoa’s physicality or speed and Ekepati then crossed, followed by formidable substitute Amber Hall.

The tries kept coming as the clock dragged on, and Taulelei-Siala and Ivana Lolesio were the next Samoans to touch down to make the half-time scoreline an eye-watering 40-0.

It was a better start for Wales in the second half, keeping Fetu Samoa scoreless for several minutes after the break – until Evania Isa’ako showed smarts and strength to dive over from dummy-half.

Monica Tagoai followed on the scoresheet, finding space on the left edge after a nice offload.

Mino-Sinapati’s second of the evening was a thing of beauty, fielding a kick return and burning defenders in a 60-metre run.

Samoa weren’t done with scoring and Taulelei-Siala displayed pure pace to touch down next.

There was still time for Freedom Crichton Ropati, Ekepati again and Tavarna Papalii to grab four-pointers in the final dozen minutes as Samoa passed the 70 points England had put on the Welsh a week prior.

GAMESTAR: Amber Hall was a super sub who led from the middle.

GAMEBREAKER: Ivana Lolesio caught the eye with her tough defence and damaging ball-running.

MATCHFACTS

SAMOA
1 Destiny Mino-Sinapati
2 Mercedez Taulelei-Siala
3 Monica Tagoai
4 Tyra Ekepati
5 Freedom Crichton Ropati
6 Evania Isa’ako
7 Pauline Piliae-Rasabale
8 Annetta-Cluadia Nu’uausala
9 Mary-Jane Taito
10 Laikha Clarke
11 Leilani Wilson
12 Ivana Lolesio
13 Tavarna Papalii
Subs (all used)
14 Jetaya Faifua
15 Fanua Rimoni
16 Amber Hall
17 Christabelle Onesemo-Tuilaepa

Tries: Clarke (8), Ekepati (10, 21, 65), Mino-Sinapati (14, 49), Hall (25) Taulelei-Siala (30, 52), Lolesio (34), Isa’ako (41), Tagoai (45), Crichton Ropati (58), Papalii (68)
Goals: Piliae-Rasabale 10/14

WALES
1 Leanne Burnell
2 Zoe Heeley
3 Jade Mullen
4 Hannah Buck
5 Sian Williams
6 Amberley Ruck
7 Tayla Preston
8 Agnes Wood
9 Jasmine Gibbons
10 Emily Hughes
11 Georgia Cussons
12 Paige Travis
13 Bethan Dainton
Subs (all used)
14 Carys Marsh
15 Kathryn Salter
16 Erin Williams
17 Gracie Hobbs

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16-0, 22-0, 28-0, 34-0, 40-0; 44-0, 50-0, 56-0, 60-0, 64-0, 70-0, 76-0

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Women of the Match
Samoa: Amber Hall; Wales: Bethan Dainton

Penalty count: 7-4
Half-time: 40-0
Referee: Rochelle Tamarua