Samoa feel like they’ve come back from the dead in this World Cup - and assistant coach Frank Pritchard must feel very much the same.
Struck down by Covid, he was placed in a coma and left fighting for his life earlier this year. But thankfully the ex-Samoa captain - a Hull cult-hero after helping them to their first Wembley success in 2016 - survived and now he’s preparing his tiny country for a maiden World Cup final appearance. Superb Samoa shocked England 27-26 in a semi-final golden point at the Emirates Stadium.
That came just four weeks after being thrashed 60-6 by the same opponents and sets up Saturday’s Old Trafford decider with mighty Australia. Speaking about his Covid battle, Pritchard admitted: “It was touch and go. Covid was tough for everyone in the world. I was just lucky my body could handle it and peoples’ prayers kept me going through.
