A fourth win from four matches for England at this World Cup but this was a significant step backwards for Steve Borthwick’s side who needed Danny Care to produce a late sniping try and a last-ditch tackle to see off an inspired Samoa. The Pacific Islanders’ head coach, Seilala Mapusua, had promised an “unapologetic Samoan” performance and that is precisely what his team produced. For England, this was largely a sorry showing.
Samoa are ranked 14th in the world, they knew they could not qualify for the knockout stage and they have resources that pale in comparison to that of England. With the veteran winger Nigel Ah Wong scoring two excellent tries, however, the back-row trio of Steven Luatua, Theo McFarland and Fritz Lee in stunning form and Lima Sopoaga providing direction from fly-half they outclassed England for large spells.
A little bit more fuel in the tank for Neria Fomai in the dying stages and they might well have held on for the famous win their performance deserved. “My heart breaks for these boys,” was Mapusua’s assessment.
England can take some credit for clawing their way back into the match from 17-8 down early in the second half but their quarter-final opponents – most probably Fiji – will fancy their chances if they play like this.
Owen Farrell became his country’s highest ever points scorer – overtaking Jonny Wilkinson in the first half – but even he had a bad day at the office, inexplicably allowing the shot clock to expire before taking a second-half penalty.
It was a moment that summed up their sloppy afternoon and this was another England performance that left supporters distinctly unimpressed. “Allez les Bleus” rang out in the stands – a clear sign of who the French neutrals were backing. England for their part were booed at full time.
From the opening minute England seemed off the pace, error-prone and sloppy. Manu Tuilagi was evidently fired up given he was playing against the country of his birth for the first time but that aside, England were leaden. Maybe the strength and conditioning coach Aled Walters has been turning the screw in training again to prepare them for the quarter-finals but try telling that to supporters who had forked out to make the trip.
Borthwick’s decision to pair George Ford and Farrell together did not work and ultimately, this was the kind of performance they were showcasing during their dismal warm-up campaign. All the more concerning for Borthwick is that this was his side for the quarter-finals in all but name but after this showing, he may need to reconsider.
Farrell missed his first kick at goal – a conversion attempt after Ollie Chessum’s try, laid on by Tuilagi – but after 18 minutes he struck a penalty through the posts to move to 1,181 points for England, two more than Wilkinson. Farrell has been asked about the impending record for a while now and kept his bat dead straight at all times. It was a touching moment nonetheless when Jamie George, a longtime friend and Saracens teammate, ran over to put his arm around his captain.
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Samoa were eight points down after Farrell’s historic penalty but undeterred. They had been given enough signs of encouragement that they could cause England’s defence problems in the opening exchanges. Indeed, they proceeded to produce the move of the match.
With Luatua, McFarland and Duncan Paia’aua all showing up well, Samoa went through phase after phase, determined to keep the ball alive. They made headway on the right and a delightful tip-on pass from Luatua put Ah Wong away.
Samoa were fizzing at this point. The scrum-half Jordan Taumateine, he of the bleached-blond mullet, fired a pass through his legs before McFarland stepped his way past Tuilagi, fed the hooker Sama Malolo who almost made it to the line.
England infringed in the buildup and such was Samoa’s confidence that they kicked for the corner. It paid off when Ah Wong claimed a crossfield kick from Danny Toala and expertly dotted down.
England were shellshocked and Samoa were over again two minutes later, Paia’aua the scorer, pouncing on the loose ball and splashing over. Sopoaga had already had a kick at goal when the TMO, Brian MacNeice, intervened to rule the try out because of a marginal knock-on. Soon after Ah Wong was denied a hat-trick when he was correctly adjudged to have put his foot in touch.
Samoa continued in the same vein after the break and stretched their lead with a Sopoaga penalty. Borthwick turned to Marcus Smith with half an hour to go, hooking an unimpressed Ford and installing the Harlequins livewire at full-back. Chessum and Joe Marchant both had tries disallowed before Farrell decided to take the points after he was hit off the ball – a demonstration of England’s anxiety.
Samoa’s task of holding on was made all the more difficult, however, when Tumua Manu was sent to the sin-bin for tackling Farrell in the air and after a series of scrums under the posts, Care nipped in unopposed. Farrell wasted little time on this occasion and England were ahead with just over five minutes to go before Fomai was denied at the last on the left by Care after another fine move from Samoa.
