Australia have named a strong team to face Samoa on Sunday, knowing anything less than a heavy win could see them miss their first tournament final in 60 years.
Beau Scott’s injury has forced coach Tim Sheens into switching Sam Thaiday from prop to second row and bringing in Josh Papalii in the front row, while Ben Hunt drops out of the matchday 17.
For Samoa, Antonio Winterstein replaces Tautau Moga on the wing, while Wakefield’s Pita Godinet starts at hooker with Sauaso Sue reverting to the bench alongside new inclusion Reni Maitua.
Australia squad to face Samoa
1 Greg Inglis
2 Josh Mansour
3 Michael Jennings
4 Dylan Walker
5 Sione Mata’utia
6 Daly Cherry-Evans
7 Cooper Cronk
8 Aaron Woods
9 Cameron Smith
10 Josh Papalii
11 Sam Thaiday
12 Greg Bird
13 Corey Parker
Substitutes
14 Boyd Cordner
15 Robbie Farah
16 Aidan Guerra
17 Ryan Hoffman
Samoa squad to face Australia
1 Tim Simona
2 Antonio Winterstein
3 Tim Lafai
4 Joseph Leilua
5 Daniel Vidot
6 Ben Roberts
7 Kyle Stanley
8 Isaac Liu
9 Pita Godinet
10 David Fa’alogo (c)
11 Frank Pritchard
12 Leeson Ah Mau
13 Josh McGuire
Substitutes
14 Dunamis Lui
15 Reni Maitua
16 Sauaso Sue
17 Mose Masoe
