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RUGBY 2007: Samoa withstand second-half surge

Samoa withstood a second-half fightback from the US to salvage their World Cup pride with a 25-21 win in a Pool A match in St. Etienne on Wednesday.

Samoa, two-time quarter-finalists, had seen their hopes of reaching the knock-out stage this time around thwarted by losses to South Africa (59-7), Tonga (19-15) and England (44-22), but they largely dominated a US team that struggled in defense and were not quick to show off their attacking skills.

The Pacific Islanders scored three first-half tries through Lome Fa'atau, Alesana Tuilagi, Kane Thompson, with Loki Crichton hitting 10 points with the boot.

The US, who had already lost to England (28-10) and Tonga (25-15) and face South Africa on Sunday in Montpellier, responded with a second-half brace from Takudzwa Ngwenya and Louis Stanfill, with Mike Hercus hitting three penalties and a conversion.

The result left them with just two wins in 16 World Cup games, both of those coming over Japan, in 2003 (39-26) and 1987 (21-18).

"We'll take the win," Samoa coach Michael Jones said. "We desperately wanted it. It just shows that USA is fast becoming a team to respect. They are one of the great improvers of world rugby."

Samoa captain Semo Sititi expressed his relief at having built up a 22-3 half-time lead.

"We were lucky to have the points in the first half," Sititi said. "It's a credit to USA, the boys really put their bodies on the line."

His American counterpart Mike Hercus rued his team's pedestrian start.

"I think at the end we played really well. We've really got into the habit of being slow starters," he said.

Samoa showed their attacking intent from the start in cold, wet conditions at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, scoring twice in the opening nine minutes.

Crichton was bundled into touch just short of the US tryline in the fourth minute, and Samoa turned over possession from the resulting line-out.

Quick ball from center Seilala Mapusua to the right flank saw winger Fa'atau beat US full-back Chris Wyles in a one-on-one.

Alesana Tuilaga doubled the score after a great break from impressive outside-half Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, sliding in at the corner after brushing off Wyles' poor attempt at a tackle.

Crichton hit the extras and a penalty, while Hercus made amends for an earlier miss with his first successful penalty on the half-hour.

After its blistering start, the game became increasingly disjointed as the rain led to a number of knock-ons.

While jinking duo Crichton and man-of-the-match Fuimaono-Sapolu still shone with ball in hand, their passes to outside backs were more often than not spilled.

Samoan lock Kane Thompson, however, managed to hold on to an unselfish try-scoring pass from Mapusua after Fuimaono-Sapolu dummied his way past the static defense.

The islanders, for whom colossal prop Cenus Johnston was prominent in the loose, wasted two prime try-scoring opportunities early in the second-half.

Fa'atau failed to gather a clever cross-field kick and then Elvis Seveali'I fumbled a pass when clear through, both with the line beckoning.

With No. 8 Fifita Mounga in the sin-bin after infringing at a ruck, a fine piece of individual skill brought the US team back into the match, Zimbabwe-born winger Ngwenya jinking inside Tuilagi and handing off Seveali'I for a clear run-in for a try Hercus converted in the 53rd minute.

Crichton and Hercus then traded penalties and Stanfill scored a late consolation try but the result was never in doubt as both teams ran out of steam.
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