Islanders entertain

Samoa skipper Nigel Vagana claims a lot of people are tired of watching the structured rugby league in the NRL and Super League and are enjoying the different styles of free-flowing football played by the Pacific Islands at a World Cup dominated by Australia.

While the host nation is threatening to turn the 10-team tournament into a one-horse race after heavy beatings of the other leading contenders New Zealand and England, the Islanders have injected passion.

The two Pool Three games involving Samoa, Tonga and Ireland were among the better spectacles and most competitive games so far.

Tonga squeezed out Ireland 22-20 at Parramatta, while Samoa beat Tonga 20-12 at Penrith in matches that drew widespread praise.

“Obviously our game against Tonga last week had a lot of Pacific flavour in it and the Irish and the Scottish and the French have also brought together their unique styles,” Vagana said.

“People are starting to appreciate there are a lot more different styles in rugby league and it would be great if we can see it more often.”

Samoa and Fiji are poised to serve up another potential Island classic in a likely semi-final qualifier.

They lead their respective pools, from which only the winner will advance.

A victory by any margin over Ireland at Parramatta on Wednesday will put Samoa through to the semi-final qualifier where they should meet Fiji, who only have to defeat minnows Scotland in their last pool game to advance.

“Rugby league has struggled in the Pacific for the last few years,” Vagana said.

“If we make it through to the qualifiers it will be a big boost for rugby league in our country and in the Pacific.

“With the Tongan boys putting together a strong team and the Fijians as well, there’s a lot of potential to go through the Pacific and for rugby league to put its stamp on.”

Samoa coach John Ackland today made just one enforced change to his starting side for Wednesday’s game.

Kylie Leula’i was charged by the World Cup match review committee with a careless high tackle on Tonga’s Fetuli Talanoa.

Samoa has until 5pm tomorrow to accept the penalty or proceed to a hearing, but officials today indicated they would accept the recommended one-match penalty rather than risk doubling the suspension.

Ireland coach Andy Kelly made two changes to his starting side and brought in frontrower Wayne Kerr to the bench.

Halfback Liam Finn and prop Gareth Haggerty go into the run on side, with Karl Fitzpatrick and Ryan Tandy dropping to the bench.

“It’s just shaking things up a little bit, two different players coming into the team, without altering the structure too much,” Kelly said.

“Liam Finn will provide us with another dimension of kicking and Gareth Haggerty is quite explosive and has good feet and good hands.”

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