RUGBY LEAGUE NATION

 

 

Foundation Year - 1988

International Team - Toa Samoa

Highest finish in World Cup - Quarter Final (2000)

Top level domestic competition - 12 teams compete in the national competition.

History - Samoa's close proximity to Australia and New Zealand and the increase of Samoan's playing in the Super League and National Rugby League has been a main factor in the growth of league in the pacific nation. Western Samoa's first major competition was the 1988 Pacific Cup. They made a great first impression making it to the final. In a close game Western Samoa went down to the NZ Maoris 19 - 16.

In 1995 Western Samoa played in the Rugby League World Cup for the first time. Western Samoa easily beat France then narrowly lost to Wales. The loss to Wales proved costly with Western Samoa missing out on a place in the semi finals. From 1998 Western Samoa played as Samoa.

In the 2000 World Cup Samoa won games against NZ Maoris and Scotland. Samoa lost against Ireland finishing 2nd in the Pool but still qualified for the quarter finals. Samoa played Australia in the quarter finals and went down to the eventual World Cup winners 66 - 10.

Samoa took part in the 2008 World Cup qualifiers and Federation Shield in 2006. In the pacific leg of qualifiers they finished 3rd and had to play in the repechage rounds in 2007. In the Federation Shield they did not fair much better finishing bottom of the table. In 2007 Samoa qualified for the 10th and final World Cup place by beating the United States and Lebanon in the repechage qualifiers.

Samoa were grouped with Tonga and Ireland in the 2008 World Cup. Backed as the most likely team to top the pool and make it into the semi-finals, Samoa fell short of their potential. They got off to a great start beating Tonga 20 -12 at Penrith in front of a vocal crowd. Then Samoa's wheels fell off when Ireland caused a major upset defeating Samoa 34 -16. All teams in the Pool finished with one win a piece. Ireland's big win over Samoa was the difference leaving Samoa at the bottom of the group. Samoa saved some pride by winning the ranking game against France and avoiding the wooden spoon securing 9th place.

With the encouraging showing of Samoa in the World Cup, plans are in place to have Rugby League introduced into Samoan schools. On the back of the success of the Tonga v Samoa game many fans are calling for the teams to play yearly at Penrith's CUA Stadium.

In early 2009 Samoa were ranked 10th in World seedings by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF).

The Rugby League International Federation announced that a Pacific Cup competition was starting up in 2009. This was in line with the RLIF's plans to provide more international games for 2nd tier rugby league nations. Unlike the old pacific cup competitions, much is at stake in the Pacific Cup tournament as the winner will qualify for the Four Nations. Samoa's 2009 Pacific Cup campaign ended before it began as they were bundled out of the Pacific Cup after being beaten by the Cook Islands in a Pacific Cup qualifying match.

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