Samoa made a remarkable comeback to secure their first victory over the USA in nine years, finishing third in the Pacific Nations Cup.
The match started with Luke Carty scoring an early penalty, allowing the Men’s Eagles to take a 10-point lead within the first eight minutes, thanks to Toby Fricker’s try which Carty converted.
Fricker showcased his skills by intercepting a poor clearance from Rodney Iona, making a spectacular catch and running in for a try without any opposition. However, this early success was the highlight for Scott Lawrence’s team.
Before halftime, Iona redeemed himself by successfully kicking two penalties, narrowing the gap to four points. Carty attempted a long-range penalty just before the break but missed, leaving the score at 10-6.
Samoa took control of the game as Iakopo Petelo-Mapu burst through several tackles to score an impressive individual try. As the match neared its conclusion and seemed headed for a draw, USA’s Jason Daam received a yellow card for collapsing a Samoan maul just five meters from the try line.
With Daam in the sin bin, Samoa intensified the pressure and, just three minutes from full time, Melani Nanai crossed the line in the left corner to secure the victory.