A record night at CommBank Stadium
Samoa opened their Women's Rugby League World Cup campaign in emphatic style on Friday night, overwhelming Wales 76-0 at CommBank Stadium. The fourteen-try display stands as the national team's highest score in a women's international, surpassing the 52 points registered against Russia at the 2008 World Cup. Frank Pritchard's players now turn their attention to a trip to Wollongong and a meeting with England the following Friday.[S1][S2]
The result could carry major consequences for the group. If Australia beat England in Perth on Saturday, the WIN Stadium fixture becomes a straight playoff for a semi-final place. Samoa have never made the final four of a Women's World Cup, but a performance of this breadth suggests the squad has threats across the field rather than relying on one or two players.[S1]
Hall leads from the front as debutant shines
Amber Hall was named player of the match after a dominant display up front, crossing for a try, beating nine tackles and carrying for 108 metres. Her early work gave Samoa the platform to control the contest. Tyra Ekepati marked her debut with a hat-trick, while Destiny Mino-Sinapati and Mercedez Taulelei-Siala each added two tries of their own.[S1]
The scoring was widely shared. Laikha Clarke, Ivana Lolesio, Evania Isa'ako, Monica Tagoai, Freedom Crichton Ropati and Tavarna Papalii all reached the tryline, and halfback Pauline Piliae-Rasabale set a national record with ten conversions. Wales had chances early but could not find a way through, and once Clarke broke the deadlock in the ninth minute the match turned into a one-sided affair.[S1]
What comes next against England
Samoa built a 40-0 advantage by half-time with seven first-half tries and added seven more after the interval, Papalii completing the scoring in the 69th minute. The scale of the victory sends a warning to the rest of the competition, and the side's recent showing against Australia suggests next Friday's encounter with England should be far more competitive than the scoreline against Wales might imply.[S1]
