By AAP
A four-try haul from Sua Fa’alogo helped Samoa to a record-breaking 78-4 victory over France to open their World Cup account in style at CommBank Stadium last Friday.
The Storm speedster started on the bench but found himself into the action early after Deine Mariner succumbed to a hamstring injury.
In 70 minutes of game time Fa’alogo ran for 252 metres and broke four tackles to go with his four tries.
After disappointing results in their 2026 campaigns, star duo Jarome Luai and Stephen Crichton also enjoyed a night out for Samoa, with Luai delivering four line breaks and two try assists and Crichton kicking 11 from 14 conversions.
Knights edge forwards Jermaine McEwen and Francis Manuleleua were massive in their Test debuts, with McEwen topping the tackle count for Samoa and Manuleleua racking up 223 run metres, 89 of which were post-contact.
After a physical start Samoa struck first in the third minute after some slick hands to the left and Mariner went over untouched in the corner.
There were some worrying signs for France early with five-eighth Cesar Rouge and winger Leo Darrelatour both leaving the field for head injury assessments and Samoa running in another two tries through Benaiah Ioelu and Test debutant Jermaine McEwen to lead 18-0 eight minutes into the match.
Mariner left the field with a hamstring injury in the 10th minute but it did not hinder the strike attack on the left edge with replacement winger Fa’alogo crossing in the corner and setting up Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on the inside to give Samoa a 28-0 advantage.
France got on the board in the 25th minute when skipper Benjamin Garcia looked to the short side and a remarkable catch and put down from Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet delivered his side their opening tournament try.
The French wrestled their way back into the contest but couldn’t capitalise on their opportunities and Samoa went further ahead with Luai throwing a cut out pass for an unmarked Fa’alogo who crossed in the corner to take his side to the sheds with a 34-4 lead.
Samoa pick up where they left off after the break when Brian To’o laid a huge shot to force an error out of Arthur Mourgue and Crichton picked up the loose ball and raced his way over the line. Crichton converted his own try from the sideline to stretch the lead 40-4.
Samoa continued to dominate across the park and after France turned them away for several sets, Shawn Blore crashed over for the side’s eighth try off a simple catch and pass play.
Fa’alogo continued his superb night out, crossing the line twice in four minutes to notch four tries for the match and crack a 50-point lead for Samoa.
Luai’s footwork continued to haunt the French late in the match and some slick hands on the inside from Ioelu set up Chanel Harris-Tavita to crash over from close range.
On the back of some big metres of Francis Manuleleua, Fa’alogo looked to make it five for the night but the try was denied with the bunker ruling obstruction in the lead up.
Samoa run in three tries in the final eight minutes with Izack Tago and Francis Molo crossing before a bizarre try to finish the night with Crichton’s shot at penalty goal after the siren bouncing off the upright for the chasing Benaiah Ioelu to regather and score, taking the final scoreline to 78-4 – a record total and a record winning margin at a World Cup for Samoa.
Meanwhile, new-look halves pairing Tarryn Aiken and Jocelyn Kelleher led the Jillaroos to a 40-0 victory over Samoa to open the Women’s Rugby League World Cup on Friday night.
The 2026 NRLW premiership-winning halves duo looked right at home with Kelleher also picking up player of the match in her Test debut at CommBank Stadium.
Three-time Dally M Medallist Tamika Upton also added to her highlight reel, delivering three try assists and four line break assists while skipper Isabelle Kelly ran for 198 metres.
Despite being held scoreless, Samoa walked away with their heads held high after conceding just two tries in the second half despite finishing the night with just 40 per cent of possession and 627 fewer run metres.
Samoa came firing out of the gates but as early fatigue set in the Jillaroos were quick to capitalise when Aiken shifted to the left to create the overlap and TUpton delivered a cut-out pass for Jamie Chapman to open the scoring.
Australia continued to build pressure with Kelleher and Aiken combining on the right and this time it was Julia Robinson the beneficiary of an Aiken long ball to make it 12-0 after 18 minutes.
Australia’s right edge turned it on again with some slick hands finding edge forward Shaylee Bent some space out wide and she raced away for the Jillaroos’ third try.
Four minutes later Keeley Nizza darted out of dummy half and put on the footwork to run 30m to the try line. Kelleher converted for a 22-0 lead.
When Amber Hall was penalised for crowding in the ruck it was powerhouse lock Olivia Kernick who made her pay after finishing off some slick lead-up play by Kelleher.
The debutant five-eighth converted to send her side to the sheds with a 28-0 lead.
Samoa wrestled their way back into the contest as both sides traded sets for the opening 10 minutes of the second half.
Another error from Hall handed Australia the ball from close range and Kernick took the ball to the line before finding Keilee Joseph in support who crashed her way over the line.
Samoa came up with some impressive goal line defence late in the match with 18-year-old debutante Freedom Crichton Ropati making herself known after shooting off the line to lay some impressive shots.
But it was Australia who had the final say with Jess Sergis crashing over in the 67th minute to take the Jillaroos to a 40-0 lead.
The Jillaroos next up head to Perth to take on England while Samoa remain in Sydney to take on Wales.