Australian coach Tim Sheens has hailed Samoa’s emergence as an international force during the Four Nations, ahead of the sides’ crucial final round clash on Sunday.
The Kangaroos need to beat Samoa in Wollongong to qualify for next week’s final in Wellington.
Toa Samoa have shocked the rugby league world with impressive but unlucky efforts in the tournament so far in a 32-26 loss to England and a 14-12 defeat at the hands of New Zealand.
Sheens knows they have the ability to upset Australia.
“The tournament is a strong tournament, no doubt, England and New Zealand are very strong and so are the Samoans,” Sheens said at the teams’ joint captains’ and coaches’ press conference on Saturday.
“It is the best fourth nation, if you want to put it that way, that we have seen play since I have been involved since ’09.
“It has been a very good tournament and it is going to continue to be so.
“There is going to be some more drama before it is over.”
Skipper Cameron Smith said the Kangaroos had watched their final round opponents closely.
“The Samoans have been very good throughout the whole tournament,” he said.
“We have been really impressed with the way they have played.
“They were really unlucky to go down against England and unlucky not to beat the Kiwis over there last week.
“They are a team full of great players, if we don’t play well tomorrow we will be looking down the barrel of a loss.”
Sheens said he was pleased with his injury-hit side’s improvement after the first up loss to the Kiwis was followed by a win over England.
“You have to remember we started the tournament with a lot of players out injured and have had to really work on new combinations,” he said.
“Starting the tournament with a loss, a fairly significant loss has put us under the pump but I think we improved really well for last week’s game.
“I was really happy with the intensity of the senior guys in particular, they led us around the park really well but the younger guys really followed along and I’m confident that will continue.”
New Zealand host England in Dunedin in the other final round Four Nations match on Saturday.
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