Toa Samoa


Samoa will face Tonga in the World Cup quarter-finals after steamrolling France 62-4 in Warrington.

Samoa looked impressive as they took apart the French with ease, Taylan May finishing with four tries.

Anthony Milford, Brian To’o and Tim Lafai also grabbed braces as the Pacific nation ended in second spot in Group A behind England.

Lafai got the first try, after just three minutes, off a Jarome Luai grubber kick.

In the 11th minute, France lost hooker Alrix Da Costa to injury and then Arthur Romano almost scored in the corner.

Five minutes later a quick shift to the right saw To’o cross.

Soon after it came left for May’s first, and he went over untouched before To’o broke through the middle and offloaded to May for another great team try.

Right on half-time May claimed his hat-trick with another impressive move on the left edge.

At 28-0 France were struggling and it got worse in the second half.

Just three minutes in Luai set up May with a beautiful offload for his fourth try of the night.

Three minutes later they were in again, this time To’o with the try.

France finally hit back in the 52nd minute after Joseph Suaal’i dropped a kick and Fouad Yaha pounced.

Ten minutes later Anthony Milford grabbed a try after a nasty collision in the in-goal with Matthieu Laguerre.

In the 65th minute Lafai brought up his brace, before Chanel Harris-Tevita crossed for his own four-pointer.

With six minutes left it was Milford who got his double with the last score of the night at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Samoa 62

Tries: T. Lafai (4), B. To’o (17), T. May (21), T. May (34), T. May (40), T. May (44), B. To’o (46), A. Milford (63), T. Lafai (66), C. Harris-Tavita (69), A. Milford (74)

Goals: S. Crichton (5), S. Crichton (22), S. Crichton (36), S. Crichton (40), S. Crichton (45), S. Crichton (48), S. Crichton (64), S. Crichton (70), S. Crichton (75)

France 4

Tries: F. Yaha (53)



John is a freelance journalist who has been writing about rugby league for the past decade. He covered the 2013 and 2017 World Cups, has appeared on TV and radio, and been published in The I-Paper, The Guardian, The Sun, The Mirror, League Express, Inside Sport magazine and Big League. He writes regularly for Forty-20 magazine, League Weekly and co-hosts the podcasts By the Balls and Six To Go.