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Samoa put up big score against Germany in first leg

Samoa perform their war dance

An Ed Fidow hat-trick helped Samoa take a giant stride towards Pool A at Rugby World Cup 2019 following a comfortable 66-15 first-leg play-off victory over Germany in Apia on Saturday – report World Rugby.

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The hosts ran in 10 tries as Alapati Leiua, Melani Matavao (2), Jack Lam, Iosefa Tekori, Dwayne Polataivaia and a penalty try were added to Fidow’s treble. Ah See Tuala added 10 points with the boot, while Patrick Faapale came off the bench to kick a further two conversions.

Despite the margin of defeat, Germany’s work-rate cannot be questioned, and their commitment was rewarded with a second-half Jaco Otto double that briefly put pressure on Samoa. Raynor Parkinson, meanwhile, finished the match with five points from the kicking tee.

The visitors’ lack of experience against top opposition was telling, however, as the hosts secured a first win in 10 tests. The manner of their victory means that anything other than a resounding defeat in Heidelberg on 14 July will see them through to the World Cup in Japan next September.

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Samoa began the game at Apia Park as heavy favourites, and signalled their intention early on as Ofisa Treviranus won a turnover from kick-off to put them on the attack.

EARLY SCARE FOR SAMOA
Germany held out, however, and could have scored an early try had Steffen Liebig’s offload found the hands of centre partner Parkinson’s hands in the fifth minute.

The hosts survived that scare and having won the game’s first scrum two minutes later, scrum-half Matavao proved the catalyst for a seven phase move that ended in the opening try, scored by Leiua.

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Tuala converted, before a Parkinson penalty cut Germany’s deficit to four points. Samoa had to wait less than two minutes to reaffirm their dominance, though, as Matavao took advantage of some slick handling from Tuala, Leiua and Sinoti Sinoti on the left wing to score his side’s second try.

Germany refused to give in, and launched an attack of their own on the Samoan line but Marcel Coetzee spilled possession within five metres of the line. And with just over 22 minutes of the first half gone Samoa scored their third try as Lam scuttled over from close range following good work from Joshua Tyrell and Matavao.

The hosts stretched their lead further within five minutes as Leiua punched a holed in the visiting defence before excellent handling from Tyrell set Fidow away to score his first try of the match in the right corner. The wing would notch his second before the break as he finished from close range.

FINAL FLOURISH
So far, so good for Samoa but it was Germany who finished the half on the front foot and they grew in confidence as they kept the match scoreless for the opening 10 minutes of the second period.

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The resistance was broken by a penalty try, as their scrum crumbled under severe pressure from the attacking Samoans But undeterred the visitors found a second wind, and in the 58th minute Otto exploited a gap in the home defence before stepping past Tusi Pisi to score.

Matavao grabbed his second try minutes later, but when Otto went over for a brace of his own German fans would have been forgiven for dreaming of a late rally.

However, after replacement hooker Seilala Lam saw an effort chalked off by TMO Aaron Paterson – who deemed he had lost control before grounding – Tikori, Polataivaia and Fidow all crossed the whitewash in the final 10 minutes to add further gloss to the hosts’ victory.

Samoa head to Germany for the second leg knowing they can afford to lose by 50 points in Heidelberg and still progress to Japan.

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AM 42 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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