SAMOA secured a solid if unspectacular victory over the United States to join Japan at the top of Pool B on four points. The Pacific Islanders had the upper hand for all but the opening stages of the game, and would have won more comfortably but for an indifferent afternoon with the boot from Tusi Pisi.
Even so, it was the stand-off’s four penalties that made the difference in the end after both teams scored two tries. Aj MacGinty, the Americans’ playmaker, added two penalties of his own, while Samoan substitute Michael Stanley also scored a three-pointer.
Samoa took the lead with an eighth-minute Tusi Pisi penalty, then extended their advantage at the end of the first quarter when Tim Nanai-Williams dived to touch down in the left corner after Pisi had kicked through. The stand-off, who had earlier fallen short with a second penalty attempt, missed the conversion, but even at only 8-0 behind the USA were already in some trouble.
The Americans had given as good as they got in the opening exchanges up front, but were slowly being worn down by the Samoans’ ferocity in the collision, and they went further behind to another Pisi penalty. They needed the next score, and they got it when AJ McGinty scored with a simple effort from in front of the posts.
Back under pressure, the USA then came right back into the contest with a first-class try run from deep. MacGinty began the break, and Seamus Kelly took it deep into Samoan territory before passing to winger Chris Wyles for the score. MacGinty was wide with the conversion, then in the last score of the half Pisi was on target with a third penalty to make it 14-8 for Samoa at the half.
The first score of the second half went to the Pacific Islanders too, when the US right-winger Takudzwa Ngwenya failed to clear another grubber from Pisi, and quick recycling gave Ofisa Treviranus the simple task of barging over the line from a few metres out. Pisi again failed to convert, but then exchanged penalties with McGinty to take his team’s lead to 22-11.
The Americans never looked like being able to claw back that deficit, and while they had a few promising late breaks, those were invariably from deep within their own half and stifled before they could do much damage. A Michael Stanley penalty ten minutes from time gave his team a 14-point lead, which should have seen them safe home.
But then substitute Chris Baumann grabbed a second try for the US, and although MacGinty missed the conversion, the score gave the Americans fresh hope.
SAMOA 25
Scorers: Tries: T Nanai-Williams, Treviranus. Pens: T Pisi 4, Stanley.
USA 16
Scorers: Tries: Wyles, Baumann. Pens: MacGinty 2.
Samoa: T Nanai-Williams; K Pisi, P Perez, R Lee-Lo, A Tuilagi (F Autagavaia 73); T Pisi (M Stanley 58), K Fotuali’i; S Taulafo, O Avei (M Matu’u 66), A Perenise (C Johnston 52), F Paulo, J Tekori (F Levave 59), M Fa’asavalu (A Fa’osiliva 52), J Lam, O Treviranus. Substitutes: V Afatia, V Afemai.
USA: B Scully (B Thompson 53); T Ngwenya, S Kelly, T Palamo, C Wyles; A MacGinty, M Petri; E Fry (O Kilifi 71), Z Fenoglio (P Thiel 53), T Lamositele (C Baumann 71), H Smith (C Dolan 53), G Peterson (D Barrett 59), A McFarland, A Durutalo, S Manoa. Substitutes: S Suniula, F Niua.
Referee: G Clancy (Ireland). Attendance: 29,178.
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