Samoa v Scotland completed the Pool B games of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, and it the two sides couldn’t be separated. It means Scotland go home without a win, and that Samoa progress to the knockout stages without a win. Go figure.
We’re covering the game with the Who, What, Where, When and How of the match living in the shadows of the big New Zealand-Tonga game.
The 2017 Rugby League World Cup is a big deal for us, being huge rugby league fans and love a minnow or two, and we’ll be covering all of the games throughout.
So visit our 2017 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE
Now onto the Samoa v Scotland game.
SAMOA v SCOTLAND MATCH REVIEW
RESULT – Who Won?
SAMOA 14
Tries: J. Paulo (12), M. Wright (49), Y. Tonumaipea (66)
Goals: M. Wright 1 Conv
SCOTLAND 14
Tries: L. Tierney (5), F. Mariano (28)
Goals: D. Addy 2 Conv, 1 Pen
What did we learn?
Samoa made the Quarter Finals without winning a game, teams like Ireland won two and didn’t progress. Perhaps the next Rugby League World Cup should feature 16 teams and a fairer draw.
Scotland’s performances make a little mockery of the world rankings. They are currently 4th and were well beaten in their first two games. In saying that, the draw against Samoa was a good result.
Samoa lived in the shadows of the much hyped Tongan side, but also fell behind Fiji and PNG for results, although the latter two had easier draws.
THE DOWLING-TAMATI #RLWC2017 PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT
We’ve decided that a tournament as big as the 2017 Rugby League World Cup needs a Player of the tournament, and who better than International relations specialists Kevin Tamati and Greg Dowling to name our award.
We award points on a 5-4-3-2-1 scale every match, and the results for this game is below. For the running total from all of the games visit our 2017 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE
5 POINTS – Young Tonumaipea
4 POINTS – Lachlan Stein
3 POINTS – Luke Douglas
2 POINTS – Junior Paulo
1 POINT – Fa’amanu Brown
SAMOA v SCOTLAND MATCH PREVIEW
Who: SAMOA v SCOTLAND
Where and When: LIVE Saturday 11th Nov – Cairns
When is it on TV? Channel 7Mate @ 6:10pm/5:10pm
What’s the Story?
Samoa lost the big match against Tonga last weekend, and one wonders about coming down from such an emotional high. Although they lost the game, they impressed enough to be favourites for this weekend.
At least Samoa have a full squad to choose from, Scotland meanwhile is a different matter.
News reports broke of three Scottish players being kicked off the tour for being too drunk to get on a plane on Sunday after their 74-6 drubbing by New Zealand. A loss of 68 points would make anyone want to drink, but to be excluded from a flight would produces a new low mark.
The Scots lost their most experienced player Danny Brough, and also among the three was the aptly named Johnny Walker. Tee hee.
The winner of this game will sneak into the 3rd placed spot on the final Pool B ladder, and face no less than Australia in the first quarter final.
Who Will Win and Why?
Samoa have got progressively better each week, and they are primed to get their first win on the board this weekend. Like in a chunk of games so far this Rugby League World Cup, it is a team full of NRL talent against a team with far less, and the majority taken from the UK rugby league competition.
Given Scotland’s performance last weekend, and the fallout of losing players, it is hard to see them ending the Rugby League World Cup anything other than winless.
Samoa by 30
Who to watch for?
Joey Leilua has been threatening to break though for the Samoans, and he gets a big chance to impress this weekend against a weakened Scotland side. We have been impressed by Samoan fullback Young Tonumaipea, not only for his tremendous moustache.
TEAMS
Who’s in the Teams?
SAMOA
1 Young Tonumaipea 2 Ricky Leutele 3 Timoteo Lafai 4 Joseph Leilua 5 Matthew Wright 6 Jarome Luai 7 Fa’amanu Brown 8 Junior Paulo 9 Jazz Tevaga 10 Herman Ese’ese 11 Joshua Papalii 12 Frank Winterstein 13 Bunty Afoa 14 Pita Godinet 15 Joseph Paulo 16 Leeson Ah Mau 17 Sam Tagataese 18 Frank Pritchard 19 Suaia Matagi 20 Ben Roberts 21 Ken Maumalo
SCOTLAND
1 Lewis Tierney 2 Shane Toal 3 Ben Hellewell 4 Lachlan Stein 5 Matthew Russell 6 Danny Addy 7 Oscar Thomas 8 Luke Douglas (c) 9 Callum Phillips 10 Ben Kavanagh 11 Frankie Mariano 12 Dale Ferguson 13 James Bell 14 Kane Bentley 15 Brandan Wilkinson 16 Andrew Bentley 17 Jarred Anderson 18 Alex Walker 19 Will Oakes 20 David Scott 21 Kieran Moran
MATCH REVIEW
Coming soon.
THE DOWLING-TAMATI #RLWC2017 PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT
We’ve decided that a tournament as big as the 2017 Rugby League World Cup needs a Player of the tournament, and who better than International relations specialists Kevin Tamati and Greg Dowling to name our award.
We award points on a 5-4-3-2-1 scale every match, and the results for this game is below. For the running total from all of the games visit our 2017 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE
Points coming after the match.
