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New Zealand vs Samoa |
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|---|---|---|
2017 Rugby League World Cup, October 28 |
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| MT Smart Stadium, Auckland, NZ | ||
| New Zealand | Samoa | |
| 38 | SCORE | 8 |
| 7 | Tries | 2 |
| 5 | Conversions | 0 |
| 0 | Penalty Goals | 0 |
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
New Zealand’s World Cup campaign is off to the perfect start as they thrash Samoa 38-8 at Mt Smart Stadium.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
New Zealand 38
Samoa 8
New Zealand hosts Samoa in a World Cup match-up between two nations with high hopes of going deep into the tournament. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 6:10pm AEDT.
Although the Kangaroos start as heavy favourites to defend their World Cup title, New Zealand are widely expected to yet again pose the biggest challenge to Australia’s ambition to reinforce their place as the greatest rugby league nation on earth.
Before the Kiwis can dream of a final match against their great trans-Tasman rivals, they first have to get out of a tough group featuring dangerous teams such as Samoa and Tonga.
Both Pacific island nations possess strong rosters brimming with NRL talent, and the Kiwis can ill-afford to approach these matches with any sort of complacency.
Despite the huge loss of Jason Taumalolo to Tonga, there should be no excuses for New Zealand, given that they still possess a strong squad worthy of perhaps winning the tournament a few weeks from now.
Stars such as Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Adam Blair, Shaun Johnson, Jordan Rapana and Marty Taupau are all high quality footballers capable of steering New Zealand to their first World Cup victory since 2008.
The only surprising inclusion in the Kiwis starting line-up surrounds the decision to start Kodi Nikorima in the halves instead of Cowboys star Te Maire Martin. Nikorima is a fine young player but Maire Martin had a superb finish to the season and played a key role in guiding the Cowboys all the way to an unlikely grand final birth this season.
Regardless, the Kiwis are well served in the halves and it is going to take exemplary performances from Samoa halves duo Ben Roberts and Joseph Paulo to string an upset today.
Prediction
Samoa will start strongly and the Kiwis have to be prepared for a bruising opening 20 minutes against a side featuring great forwards in Queensland representative Josh Papalii and Knights recruit Herman Ese’ese.
If New Zealand remain composed however and play the percentages well, the likes of Blair, Johnson, Tuivasa-Sheck and Taupau should be enough to guide New Zealand to a tough win.
New Zealand by 12