Samoa rugby is coming in hot. Last Friday, they beat Australia “A” in the final minutes for an opening week win. This week, they battle Tonga and try to stay undefeated. Here is my preview for Week 2 at the Pacific Nations Cup.
Samoa Sees Progress Ahead of World Cup
Yes, the 2023 Rugby World Cup doesn’t start for at least another year. However, teams are still taking time to prep and get ready for the most significant event in rugby. The same goes for Samoa, who are treasuring every chance they can to step onto the field.
Looking ahead to RWC 2023, Samoa is up against some heavy competition. They’ll play in Pool D with England, Japan, Argentina, and Americas 2 (USA or Chile). All those teams pose a challenge and should make for some intriguing games. Yet, there is still time for Samoa to get ready.
This weekend’s battle with Tonga is a rematch of their two-legged playoff for Oceania 1 last summer. Samoa won both games by double-digits, and we’ll see if the results are similar this time. Two of their stars, Rodney Iona and Nigel Ah-Wong, are both in their 30’s and trying to win for their country. Let’s see if things can go their way this time.
Fiji Battles Australia “A” in World Cup “Preview”
It’s a “preview” in that they’re both in Pool C at the 2023 World Cup. However, it’s not a true preview since this is Australia’s “A” squad. Their top players are taking on England in Brisbane.
Fiji is coming off a dominating performance, beating Tonga 36-0 last week. Five different players scored tries for the Flying Fijians as Teti Tela went four for five on conversions. It was Fiji’s first win in their home country since August 2019.
The name to know for Australia is Fraser McReight. The flanker scored two tries against Samoa in his first international match. He’ll look to add to his scoring this weekend.
More Rugby To Come!
I’ll be live-tweeting this weekend’s Pacific Nations Cup action, so stay tuned. Of course, there’s more international rugby action, so we’ll be doing more coverage in the coming weeks. As well, look for us in Langford ahead of Canada’s Senior Women’s 15 team against Italy on July 24th. After Canada’s strong showing at the Pacific Four Series, that will be a game you won’t want to miss!