Fetu Samoa are one win away from confirming their ticket to the 2026 World Cup after getting past Pacific neighbours Tonga 30-16 on Saturday night in Suva.
Following a dream start that had them up by 10 after as many minutes, Samoa had to endure a courageous fight back from Tonga, who trailed by just four with 15 to go, before they finished with a hiss and a roar to run in two late tries and end with a comfortable winning margin.
Jamie Soward’s side will now face the winner of next week’s Pacific Bowl encounter between Fiji and Cook Islands, with the winner of that game, which will be played in Auckland on November 3, securing their place at RLWC2026.
For Tonga the qualification dream is over for this cycle.
Despite their flying start and looking the superior team for large parts of the contest at HFC Bank Stadium, Samoa struggled to put Tonga away and were guilty of shooting themselves in the foot with untimely errors.
Their cause was helped by standout performances from Titans’ forward Sienna Lofipo, former Jillaroo Evania Pelite and long-time Kiwi Fern Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala, while both Jessica Patea and Gold Coast rookie centre Sarina Masaga registered personal doubles.
After Masaga and Lofipo’s efforts inside 10 minutes – which were coupled with a Pauline Piliae-Rasabale penalty goal – Tonga finally settled into the game around the 20-minute mark and began to put up a fight in what was just their fourth Test match since 2008.
With her opponents having reduced the gap to six after Filomina Hanisi barreled over, Lofipo created a game-changing turnover with nine to go in the half and set in motion a period in which Samoa scored twice in quick succession.
First influential carries from both Pelite and Nu’uausala laid the platform for Patea to cross in the corner, before Masaga broke free down the right for her second.
But the chance to lead by 14 at the half was squandered when Piliae-Rasabale spilled the ball on the restart of play and Manilita Takapautolo ran over for a try which reduced the gap to 10.
It proved to be the breath of life Tonga needed and just six minutes into the second period they got back to within four thanks to Lavinia Tauhalaliku’s try which Emmanita Paki converted.
A golden opportunity to draw even, following a knock on from Pelite metres out from her own line, was blown when Takapautolo spilled the ball on play one and let Samoa off the hook.
Five minutes later Samoa burst into gear with a scintillating play down the right that ended with Patea racing away for a try, before Lindsay Tui put the finishing touch on some hot potato-style footy to put the result beyond doubt with five remaining on the clock.
“To fight back and get back before half-time… we managed to claw it back, so the girls showed a lot of character and we gave ourselves a chance at the end. We just couldn’t quite get there,” said Tonga coach Kelvin Wright
“I am just really excited to now get a chance to play either Fiji or Cook Islands in two weeks for a monumental World Cup berth. We will go back and look at the tape – there’s some areas probably around the ruck we need to tidy up a little bit on – but in terms of effort, grittiness and hanging tough… it wasn’t all to plan and that’s why I was so proud of them,” said Samoa coach Jamie Soward.
