Samoa came out victorious over Tonga in a close match at Lang Park, earning a spot in the Pacific Cup final. The opening match drew a record crowd of 44,682. This set the record attendance for a Test match in Australia (not including the Kangaroos) since 1957. The energy in the room was electric. The game was derailed by what would be the biggest injury to the game and a lengthy weather delay that would test both teams’ resolve.
Tonga had a steep task ahead even before the game got started. Then they lost co-captain Jason Taumalolo to a knee injury mere hours before the game. This injury was a killer, seriously depleting their already inexperienced front row. In a further blow, prop Stefano Utoikamanu suffered a concussion just two minutes into the match, leaving Tonga scrambling to adjust their strategy. Even with those defeats, Tonga tried to regroup against an inspired Samoa team.
Game Dynamics
Samoa started strong, taking an early lead. They jumped out to an early 16-0 lead on the score board. The match quickly stopped for a 95-minute stop due to thunder and lightning in the vicinity of Lang Park. Despite the adverse weather conditions, approximately 15,000 fans remained in the stadium to witness the conclusion of the match after seeking cover from the rain.
Jarome Luai proved the difference for Samoa, scoring a brilliant try off a beautifully judged lob bomb. His speed and guile to slice through the Tonga defence displayed Samoa’s cuteness on the day. To compound the pain for England, a brilliant solo effort by Nanai took the score up to 28-0. He sliced through defenders and carried the ball effortlessly from his right to left hand. Next, he pulled out an outstanding grubber kick, which led to another try. The halftime score of 12-0 was a testament to Samoa’s dominance through the first half.
Tonga’s Struggles
Looking back, Tonga’s attempts to respond were derailed by uncharacteristic errors. And on their best chance of the second half, Isaiah Iongi had a golden opportunity to equalize. Unfortunately, he fumbled on the other side of the line, blowing an opportunity to change the momentum back in their direction. Injury to impact stars and bad luck meant they could not add up their scoring chances to amount to something bigger.
Though outmatched, Tonga continued to battle hard for the entire 80 minutes. Yet, they had a hard time turning their ball control into touchdowns. Frank Molo’s high shot on Utoikamanu certainly turned some heads. Plenty were surprised he was let off with any real punishment at all, particularly given Utoikamanu’s swift departure.
Looking Ahead
With this defeat, Samoa heads into the Pacific Cup final, while Tonga heads into a do-or-die situation. Next Sunday at Eden Park, they will have to beat New Zealand by 17 points. Doing so will provide them an opportunity to top Samoa again for the tournament championship trophy. This potentially explosive matchup casts a heavy shadow over Tonga. They need to deal with injuries while planning around their next game.
