Wynne Gray's 50 greatest rugby moments: No.3

Samoan players jubilate after theie side's 1999 Rugby World Cup win over Wales. Photo PATRICK KOVARIK / AFP/Getty Images

Once was tough for Wales, twice on their own dirt in World Cups was outlandish.

The initial loss to Samoa at the 1991 tournament provoked relief that Wales weren't playing the whole of the Pacific Island nation but there was no humour left after they toured Samoa and lost in 1994, then were beaten again in the 1999 RWC.

Wales carried stacks of power which created two penalty tries but too much of their work was slipshod. When they had a late chance to equalise from a 5m scrum Scott Quinnell lost control at the boot of the scrum and Samoa cleared.

Earlier, Wales conceded a try from an over-thrown lineout on their own line and long-range intercept touchdowns to Stephen Bachop and captain Pat Lam which cemented their 38-31 defeat as fullback Silao Leaega kicked all his goals.

There were some quibbles about Samoa having former All Blacks Lam, Bachop and Vaiga Tuigamala in their ranks but, according to the rules, they were legit, unlike the Welsh ancestral connections of Shane Howarth and Brett Sinkinson.

That subsequent Grannygate saga put the players, executive and coach Graham Henry under more heat than they felt in Cardiff in late 1999.

"They did a job on our ball-carrying players and we could not create any forward moves at all because we were relying on those particular players," halfback Rob Howley said.

Wales were confident they had the measure of Samoa. They had collected 10 successive wins against sides of some pedigree such as England, France, South Africa and Argentina and were hosting this RWC match on their home track in front of 74,500 spectators wedged into their new national stadium.

Wales went for their power game, hoping to kick home through Neil Jenkins' accurate play at first five-eighths but they were shifted off that axis by the hit-and-run tactics from Samoa and their ease on the ball demonstrated with the scores locked at 31-all.

Brian Lima doubled around Lam, who ranged in midfield and offloaded for Leaega to dive in at the corner and convert.