Samoa Claims Record 78-4 Rugby League World Cup Opening Win Over France
Samoa’s men’s rugby league team opened the World Cup with a record-breaking 78-4 victory over France. The 78 points stand as the highest total Toa Samoa has ever scored in a World Cup match, while the winning margin marks their biggest ever.
Try-Scoring Feats and Player Performances
Samoa crossed for 14 tries during the lopsided fixture. Melbourne Storm outside back Sualauvi Fa’alogo scored four tries, while Warriors playmaker Chanel Harris-Tavita was also among the 10 Samoan players to cross for four-pointers. Stephen Crichton successfully converted 11 of the 14 tries.
Coach and Player Reactions to the Historic Margin
You don’t go out to break records, you [go] out to have great cohesion,
said coach Ben Gardiner. I thought we did that in attack, but we did it in defence as well. I thought we put really good pressure on the opposition.
The performance brought widespread satisfaction to the squad, including Parramatta Eels prop Junior Paulo. He stated that the team felt delighted to bring joy to supporters across Samoa, globally, and among the thousands of fans in New Zealand.
We see all the hype that’s going on around us, so it’s only right that we go out there and put our best foot forward on the back of (not only) the hopes and dreams of the next generation, but also the prayers and blessing of our elders,
Paulo said.
Australia Defeats Samoa in Women’s Opening Fixture
While the men’s team celebrated a dominant victory, Samoa’s women’s team faced a 40-0 defeat against defending champions Australia in their opening match. The Jillaroos secured the shutout behind tries from Jaime Chapman, Julia Robinson, Shaylee Bent, Keeley Nizza, Olivia Kernick, Keilee Joseph, and Jessica Sergis.
Tournament Match Facts and Statistics
The opening round fixtures established distinct early trajectories for the competing national squads in both divisions. The following figures detail the results from the reported matches.
| Division & Match | Winning Team | Score | Losing Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s Opening Game | Samoa | 78 | France | 4 |
| Women’s Opening Game | Australia | 40 | Samoa | 0 |
Frequently Asked Questions About the Opening Matches
How many tries did Sualauvi Fa’alogo score against France?
Melbourne Storm outside back Sualauvi Fa’alogo scored four tries during Samoa’s 78-4 victory.
Who kicked the conversions for Samoa’s men’s team?
Stephen Crichton converted 11 of Samoa’s 14 tries in the match against France.
Which players scored for the Australian women’s team against Samoa?
Jaime Chapman, Julia Robinson, Shaylee Bent, Keeley Nizza, Olivia Kernick, Keilee Joseph, and Jessica Sergis each scored one try for the Jillaroos in their 40-0 win.
Related reading