Sweet victory: Manu Samoa
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Samoa sent a warning shot to their World Cup Pool rivals with a gutsy performance doing for the Wallabies 32-23 at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
World rugby's second-ranked team were well beaten by the islanders just a week away from their Tri-Nations opener against South Africa.
The impressive Samoans outscored the two-time world champions four tries to two for their first win over Australia in five meetings.
Alesana Tuilagi, Paul Williams, Kane Thompson and George Pisi crossed for the visitors, with fly-half Tusi Pisi adding 12 points with the boot.
The Wallabies scored a try in each half through Digby Ioane and Matt Giteau, but were always struggling after the visitors had raced 17-0 ahead.
Samoa had never before beaten a top-five ranked country - although they have beaten Wales three times, most notably at the 1991 World Cup.
The scorers:
For Australia:
Tries: Ioane, Giteau
Con: Giteau 2
Pen: Giteau 3
For Samoa:
Tries: Tuilagi, Williams, Thompson, G Pisi
Con: T Pisi 3
Pen: T Pisi 2
Australia: 15 Mark Gerrard, 14 Rod Davies, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Rocky Elsom (c), 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 James Hanson, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Dan Vickerman, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Beau Robinson, 21 Will Genia, 22 Kurtley Beale.
Samoa: 15 Paul Williams, 14 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 13 George Pisi, 12 Seilala Mapusua, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Tusi Pisi, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 George Stowers, 7 Maurie Fa'asavalu, 6 Taisina Tuifu'a, 5 Daniel Leo, 4 Kane Thompson, 3 Anthony Perenise, 2 Mahonri Schwalger (c), 1 Sakaria Taulafo.
Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Census Johnston, 18 Filipo Lavea Levi, 19 Manaia Salavea, 20 Brenton Helleur, 21 Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu, 22 James So'oialo.
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Comments
ABlack says...
Aussie and their usual depth problems .... Deans has got ahead of himself saying that the Reds S15 result was going to reflect in the aussies Tri Nats abd WC chances.
NO DEPTH !!!
Posted 07:50 17th July 2011
codebreaker says...
Well done Samoa , not an Aussie fan !.
Posted 07:49 17th July 2011
JayStarr says...
Also, if I was Wales I'd be reeeeeally worried now. Fiji already showed at the last WC what they can do with ball in hand... Samoa have always had potential, but over the last few years were just too "un-refined" - made too many basic errors and weren't strong in their set pieces... But their time in Europe, etc. have obviously done the trick!
Wales plays a very different style of rugby - they're definitely better than Fiji and Samoa in areas such as set pieces and tactical kicking - but what Fiji and Samoa bring in passion, attacking ability and pure physicality, means that if they can just be OK in their set-pieces, they offer the same level of threat as Wales...
So South Africa is going to get a very good workout... And Wales will have to play incredibly well if they want to make the QF's!
What would rugby be without these Islanders..! Love them.
Posted 07:44 17th July 2011
ws4life says...
JUST GOES TO SHOW...Belief in yourself and HEART of a lion and YOU can achieve ANYTHING...LE MANU SAMOAAAAA CHEEEEEE-HUUUUUUU!!!!!!! this is up there with the GREATEST moments of my LIFE....
Posted 07:43 17th July 2011
Dwayne says...
Weak as a 15 big girls blouses. World cup pretenders. Super 15 pretenders. Ha, ha, ho!
Posted 07:39 17th July 2011
runnrugby says...
CHEE HOO!! GO MANU SAMOA!!!
Japan won the pacific nations cup. Wallabies are lucky they werent playing them hahaha
Posted 07:32 17th July 2011
JayStarr says...
Can't remember when last I enjoyed a rugby game as much as this... Brilliant Samoa!!
Samoa gave a masterclass is in what pressure can do, while Australia gave a masterclass in what complacency can do...
I was surprised that Deans picked a starting team with so many Brumbies, Force and Rebels players - considering the poor season they've had - as well as Rocky Elsom to start and captain after almost no game time... it showed that they really didn't see Samoa as a threat. Which was rather perplexing since most of this team have been playing first class rugby in Europe, New Zealand and Japan and have been training in Australia the week leading up to this game. The bookies also reflected the extent to which the Australians underestimated them by giving something like 15 to 1 odds...
But that could almost be forgiven. The fact that the Wallabies were kicking their penalties for the corners at the start of the game can not. That was just unbelievably arrogant... and I'm glad Samoa made them pay for it.
Samoa was really impressive in their set-pieces and on defense, but especially at the rucks. If they just didn't give away so many penalties at ruck- and scrum time they could've been further ahead. But what impressed me most was the constant pressure they put on the Aussies - by cutting off their space, tackling hard and being in their faces they kept them on the back foot even when they had the ball. Even the brilliant Genia, Beale, Ioane and Davies were made to look average. That's the power of pressure! And why? Because they played with PASSION - something the Wallabies clearly lacked.
Was sure as hell worth it getting up at half five in the morning to see Samoans tackle the stuffing out of Aussies..!
Now for the "weakened" Boks... :)
Posted 07:25 17th July 2011
KiwiLad says...
Trinats, what say you? lol
Posted 07:25 17th July 2011
jonesy2 says...
speechless.....
Posted 07:16 17th July 2011
porridge_time says...
Over confident Aussies turned over by a very very physical Samao.
Posted 07:11 17th July 2011
hayj05 says...
Love it, love it... love it! Great performance Samoa played the game exactly how they needed to. Australians will cry out it was a B team but there were still probably 7/8 first choice players in the run on side & a couple more came off the bench. What an upset!
Posted 07:10 17th July 2011
mana says...
job well done....Manu Samoa.
Posted 07:07 17th July 2011
kevin_field says...
Australia need a better 10,12,13 if they want to have any hope come world cup. Great win Samoa though, guts all the way
Posted 07:04 17th July 2011
kahui says...
Come on MANU SAMOA!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aus has no chance of world cup success now
Posted 07:00 17th July 2011