Next week’s showdown between the Kiwis and Tonga at Eden Park promises to be a fiery encounter, with a place in the Pacific Cup final against Toa Samoa on the line.
Samoa booked their spot in the November 9 decider with a dominant 34-6 win over Tonga XIII in Brisbane on Sunday, a match where players were forced from the field for 90 minutes due to lightning strikes within the vicinity of Suncorp Stadium.
The game began under a glistening Queensland sun, but dark clouds rolled in during the second half.
With 20 minutes remaining, play was halted as lightning struck within 1km of the venue. Under safety protocols, matches must be paused when lightning is detected within a 10km radius.
During the pause in play, heavy rain and hail also pelted the stadium, which saw a large chunk of the 44,682 crowd leave the stands.
But when the match resumed, Samoa proved to be too strong as they snapped a six-test losing streak to claim their first win since 2022.
Samoa appeared to benefit from having already played - a narrow 24-18 loss to the Kiwis in Auckland last week - as their combinations and chemistry were noticeably sharper than Tonga’s, who proved to be their own worst enemies at times.
Both sides performed their war cries before the game and it was clear from the first play that it was going to be a physical contest. Tonga were dealt an immediate blow when they lost debutant Stefano Utoikamanu’s after two minutes when he was forced from the field with a category one concussion, ruling him out of next week’s clash with the Kiwis.
Samoa were the livelier of the two sides and were rewarded when Izack Tago dived over in the corner after some razzle-dazzle play. They extended their lead with a penalty goal before Jarome Luai’s deft chip kick was gathered by Jeremiah Nanai to score their second, giving Samoa a 12-0 lead at the break.
Fortune continued to favour Samoa early in the second half, when Nanai regathered his own grubber to cross for his second try.
Tonga thought they had finally broken through when Isaiah Iongi collected Soni Luke’s kick, only to spill the ball over the line in the act of scoring. Moments later, play was suspended when the ground manager ordered referee Todd Smith to bring the players off due to lightning activity near the stadium.
Once things cleared, players were given five minutes to warm up in the sheds, followed by a further 10 on the field, with an estimated 15,000 fans staying back for the final 20.
Samoa came out swinging with Murray Taulagi, Payne Hass and Chanel Harris-Tavia all scoring to seal a commanding win, although Tonga had the last say when Tolutau Koula scored in the final minute.
With Samoa assured of their spot in the final, New Zealand do remain in the box seat to face them in the decider, as Tonga would need to beat the Kiwis by 17 points to qualify for the decider.
Meanwhile, in the women’s competition, the Jillaroos will head into next week’s clash against the Kiwi Ferns full of confidence after an emphatic 60-0 win over Fetu Samoa. Tamika Upton, Julia Robinson and Jessica Sergis all scored braces as Australia ran in 11 tries.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.