Australia's Kangaroos have put on a first-half demolition job against Samoa in their Rugby League World Cup semi-final at Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday evening, crossing for four tries in a dominant opening period to establish a commanding lead and keep their World Cup title defence firmly on track.
The Southern Hemisphere rivals traded early penalties, but it was the Kangaroos who quickly asserted themselves as the superior side, with Samoa's errors proving enormously costly across the opening forty minutes.
Four tries and counting: how Australia buried Samoa early
The Kangaroos' first try came when halfback Tom Dearden carved through Samoa's defensive line directly from a scrum, touching down with minimal resistance. The defence was poor, with lock Francis Manuleleua and hooker Jazz Tevaga both failing to close the gate on Dearden, who barely broke stride on his way to the line.
Samoa's troubles were compounded almost immediately by another defensive lapse. Jacob Preston was next to score, with Wakefield Trinity's Jazz Tevaga, promoted into the starting side, again the man singled out for criticism after failing to hold up the attacking runner. At 31 years of age and thrust into a prominent role, Tevaga endured a difficult evening in front of a Sydney crowd watching the drama unfold.
Tom Trbojevic then added to Samoa's misery. Newcastle's Jermaine McEwen made an outstanding try-saving tackle on his own club teammate Bradman Best out wide on the left, but that selfless act left Australia with a full width of field to exploit. Kotoni Staggs delivered a crisp final pass and Trbojevic raced over to extend the lead, the Manly winger claiming another try for the tournament.
The pick of the tries, however, belonged to Reece Walsh. The 24-year-old Queensland fullback, after initially being stopped on the right, somehow reappeared on the opposite side of the field, hit the ball at speed and froze Stephen Crichton before diving over. Walsh celebrated with a backflip, in the process losing a shoe, borrowing a nearby security guard's chair to retrieve it.
Cameron Munster, known among rugby league followers as an unreliable kicker, was tasked with the conversions in a stiff breeze and missed at least one attempt from a difficult sideline angle. Australia led 16-2 with fourteen minutes remaining in the first half.
Samoa's errors and a disallowed try
Samoa's night could have looked very different had an early score been awarded. Jarome Luai launched a perfectly weighted bomb that Francis Manuleleua leapt for alongside Walsh, with Walsh dropping the ball directly into the hands of Stephen Crichton, who grounded it. The bunker official cleared an offside suggestion against Manuleleua, but upon closer review determined there was a knock-on in the aerial contest. The try was disallowed, to the visible frustration of Samoan supporters inside the ground.
The pain was compounded by what followed almost immediately: Walsh's try at the other end came within two minutes of Samoa being denied their own score, shifting momentum decisively and deflating whatever confidence the Pacific islanders had managed to build.
Samoa's handling was also a problem. Spencer Leniu, the firebrand prop, dropped the ball on just his first touch after coming into the game, handing Australia another attacking opportunity from which they duly profited.
Samoa did get on the board via a Stephen Crichton penalty goal from directly in front, but the points were scant consolation given the scoreline and the relentless pressure they were conceding field position under. A Francis Molo intervention prevented one Australian try, but the Kangaroos swiftly returned to the attack after Samoa took the ball dead.
Flashpoint in the 36th minute
Tensions briefly spilled over midway through the half when Jermaine McEwen was involved in a physical incident with winger Jack Bostock on the ground following a tackle. Reece Walsh arrived quickly to intervene, triggering a broader bout of pushing and shoving involving players from both sides. Referee Adam Gee assessed the situation and awarded Australia a penalty, with all players remaining on the field. A separate flash point saw Bostock fling the ball at a Samoan player, though the incident did not escalate further.
Jillaroos set World Cup final date with New Zealand
Earlier in the evening at the same venue, the Jillaroos qualified for a fifth consecutive Rugby League World Cup final with a 30-14 victory over tournament debutant Fiji, though it was far from straightforward. Fiji raced to an 8-0 lead in the opening half and threatened one of the sport's great upsets before Australia steadied and surged clear after the break.
Winger Abbi Church was outstanding, crossing four times as Australia turned the match on its head. The Jillaroos will now face New Zealand in next Sunday's decider at Lang Park in Brisbane.
Fiji captain Sereana Naitokatoka expressed pride in her team's performance at full-time, acknowledging the work the squad had put in throughout the tournament on what was Fiji's debut appearance at this stage of the competition.
As for the men's semi-final, the Kangaroos appear on course for a World Cup final appearance of their own, with Samoa needing a dramatic second-half recovery to stay alive in the tournament. For more on Australia's World Cup campaign, see our earlier coverage of the Kangaroos being pushed hard in a previous pool match.
