It was difficult to believe Matt Parish at the time, but the Samoa head coach’s promise in the aftermath of their humbling at the hands of England four weeks ago has proved to be quite prophetic. “We will build from this,” he said at St James’ Park after watching his side lose 60-6 in the opening match of the tournament. “We have a group of guys that are determined to do something at this World Cup.”
Less than a month on from a day when everything went right for England and everything seemed to go wrong for Samoa, the two nations meet again at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday with a place in next Saturday’s World Cup final at stake.
