Kiwis 24
Samoa 18
If this is the best of international rugby league – can we please have more?
This match was an absolute belter, breathless from start to finish.
It ended with the Kiwis off to a winning start in the Pacific Championships – edging Toa Samoa 24-18 in an instant classic on Sunday evening in Auckland.
The game had everything; brilliant tries, massive hits, incredible defence, amid a rollicking atmosphere.
Kiwis five-eighths Dylan Brown – who was outstanding – scored the decisive try in the 73rd minute to break the deadlock.
It was a game of fine margins, with Samoa twice blowing golden opportunities late but the Kiwis were good value for their win.
It was a gutsy effort from the home side, who led 16-12 at halftime. They defied incredible pressure across most of the second half and lost fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to an HIA for a period late in the match.
Nicoll-Klokstad had an eventful night, with a couple of crucial errors in the first half that led to Samoan tries, with the second a true Minties moment.
But he showed grit to keep going, with some important interventions, while the Kiwis pack edged their highly rated opposites.
Young centre Casey McLean scored two superb first half tries but the match was won on defence, with the Kiwis refusing to yield.
The fireworks started before kickoff, with Samoa up in the faces of the Kiwis during their Siva Tau, with New Zealand players doing well not to react, before an equally impassioned haka.
But the Kiwis showed early intent, with six defenders swarming into Payne Haas from the kickoff reception. That set the tone for bruising early defence and the kind of full-blooded collisions that reminded of Carlaw Park in the 1980s.
After Matt Timoko went close, fellow centre McLean flashed across in the ninth minute off a neat Brown pass, reminding everyone why he is so highly rated. The pressure continued, as Ronaldo Mulitalo was centimetres away, before McLean upped the ante, beating four players with a remarkable solo run to score, after a clean Joseph Tapine break gave momentum.
From that base, the half turned on two mistakes from Nicoll-Klokstad. The first was a cold drop of a bomb – which happens – with Deine Mariner crossing in the next set. But the second was bizarre, as the fullback desperately tried to stop a Chanel Harris-Tavita 40-20 attempt. He lost his balance and was left prone on the ground amongst the metal barriers near the sideline, while Simi Sasagi gleefully accepted the free gift to score under the posts, as no other Kiwis had anticipated the play.
In between those incidents, Tuivasa-Sheck made a big stop to prevent Jamayne Issako scoring and the stadium was rocking.
But the Kiwis found a mini miracle just before the break, with a delightful Brown chip conjuring a try for Timoko, after the scrum had packed with just 21 seconds on the clock.
The Kiwis were ragged for much of the third quarter, summed up when Nelson Asofa-Solomona was left to put in a fifth tackle kick (hint – it wasn’t good). There were mistakes, penalties and repeat sets for Samoa, who twice turned down kickable shots in front of the posts.
Only courageous defence kept the Kiwis afloat, epitomised by Mulitalo and Nicoll-Klokstad getting across to deny Murray Taulagi in the corner. With 25 minutes to play, there was a prolonged stoppage to attend to Samoan interchange forward Ata Mariota – knocked out cold attempting one of his first tackles.
But the Samoan pressure continued. Taulagi looked to have scored – but his boot scraped the sideline – before another desperate tackle stopped the blue wave, as the Kiwis could barely get a foothold, then they lost Nicoll-Klokstad after a nasty collision.
A Jamayne Isaako penalty edged the Kiwis ahead, before Taulagi finally got across, though Samoa was fortunate as referee Peter Gough ignored a shoulder charge in the incident that turned over possession.
That took the noise to a new level – and the Samoan fans were almost in dreamland moments later, as a clever Luai grubber sprang another break, but Mariner dropped the ball with the line open.
That was the moment, as Brown then managed his wonder try, somehow dragging in a Foran bomb and then forcing his way across, despite multiple defenders, to force the ball near the goalposts with six minutes to play.
There was still time for more drama – as Samoa engineered another break – but a flying Brian To’o split the ball as he headed for the corner, before the Kiwis could finally celebrate.
Kiwis 24 (Casey McLean 2, Matthew Timoko, Dylan Brown tries; Jamayne Isaako 3 cons, pen)
Samoa 18 (Deine Mariner, Simi Sasagi, Murray Taulagi tries; Blaize Talagi 3 cons)
HT: 16-12