Samoa showcased their dominance over Pacific rivals Tonga with a convincing 34-6 victory in a thrilling Pacific Championships rugby league international, held amidst a dramatic 90-minute lightning delay on Sunday at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. The contest attracted over 40,000 fans to the home ground of the reigning National Rugby League champion Brisbane Broncos.
Standout performances propelled Samoa to a 16-0 lead by the second half, with standout forward Jeremiah Nanai scoring two tries and center Izack Tago contributing one. The match erupted into intensity during its initial stages, featuring traditional prematch war cries from both teams and a fiercely physical first half, with Samoa consistently asserting their control.
Samoa’s scoring began when Blaize Talagi drew in two defenders, creating an opening for Izack Tago to breaching the defense and score the opening try after just a few minutes. The momentum continued with Nanai’s impressive 28th-minute try where he skillfully juggled a kick from Jerome Luai, evading Tongan defenders to score under the posts. His second try came from a brilliant chase of his own kick, extending Samoa’s lead to a commanding 16 points.
The lightning storm that interrupted play served as a moment of tension, momentarily shifting the atmosphere in the stadium as players and fans cleared the field just before heavy hail and rain struck. Upon returning to the field, Samoa picked up right where they left off, further boosting their score with three more tries courtesy of Murray Taulagi, Payne Haas, and Chanel Harris-Tevita.
Tonga managed to secure a consolation try in the final moments through Tolutau Koula, yet the overall performance by Samoa underscored their readiness for the next stages of the tournament. With the victory, Samoa advances to the final of the three-team tournament, solidifying their qualification ahead of the final round-robin bout between New Zealand and Tonga scheduled for this week in Auckland.
This victory stands as a testament to Samoa’s improving play and competitive spirit, providing a hopeful outlook as they gear up for bigger challenges ahead.