The biggest game of the Rugby League World Cup to date lived up to the hype as Tonga put paid to a Samoan fightback and claimed a 20-18 win on Sunday night.
The Pacific rivals went hammer and tongs in front of a sold-out crowd at CommBank Stadium from the moment they lined up for the Sipi Tau and Siva Tau.
And now Tonga will battle New Zealand for a spot in the final while Samoa must face Australia in the semis, in a repeat of the 2022 decider.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow
Samoa scored four tries to Tonga’s three on Sunday night but were made to rue three missed conversions — two by Chanel Harris-Tavita, who was injured on the second attempt and left the game.
Back-up playmaker Ronald Volkman stepped up and missed his first attempt but gave Samoa a four-point with 10 minutes remaining when he converted his own powerful try.
All the momentum was with Samoa but a Sua Fa’alogo error just minutes later proved costly as Addin Fonua-Blake scored in Tonga’s next set.
Fa’alogo appeared to have redeemed himself when he crossed in the corner with just two minutes left in the game.
But it went upstairs and the first replay showed he had stepped on the line, with Samoa unable to create a genuine chance in the last 60 seconds.
Be the first to know: Add 7NEWS as your preferred news source on Google
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow came up with the ball after a bomb but threw it forward.
“The scenes here are incredible. Hamiso gets the ball in his hands, just can’t get the pass where it needs to go out to Sua Fa’alogo,” Luke Keary said in commentary on Channel 7.
Emotional at the sight of the red, blue and white flags in the crowd, Tonga captain Jason Taumalolo said it was “probably one of the best games” he had ever been involved in.
“We knew tonight was going to be a physical game and it was going to be tough right from the start,” he said.
“We got ourselves into a little lead but Samoa, being the electrifying team they have been in the last two games, came out and really put points and made it a contest right till the last minute.
“Big shoutout to the Samoan boys for tonight. It’s a bloody tough game.”
A repeat match-up in the final would not disappoint but both sides face a difficult task coming down from Sunday night’s electrifying atmosphere and getting back up to face the Kiwis and Kangaroos next weekend.
Samoa captain Junior Paulo is facing match review scrutiny after a shoulder charge in the first half.
But he still had a smile on his face as he apologised to fans for the defeat.
“Sorry we didn’t get the job done but at he end of the day this is what it’s all about — making both nation’s people proud,” Paulo said.
“It was one of those games you were looking forward to before the tournament even started.
“Big credit to the Tongan boys, they showed up tonight and we knew it was going to be a tough one. All love and blessings to both nations.”
Samoa playmaker Chanel Harris-Tavita limped out of the game — and potentially the Rugby League World Cup entirely — after grabbing at his hamstring after a missed conversion attempt in the second half.
“This is big, this is massive news for Samoa in the context of this tournament,” Luke Keary said in commentary on Channel 7.
Andrew Voss added: “Chanel Harris-Tevita will go straight from the field, that could be his World Cup over.”
Volkman’s cameo, though, ensured Samoa were still in with a fighting chance.
Samoa captain ‘in trouble’ after ironing out rival with ‘outlawed’ hit
2 min read
Epic scenes after most dramatic golden-point thriller ever seen
2 min read
