As Manu Samoa prepares to face Belgium in a head-to-head showdown on Tuesday 18 November for the final place at Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia, Captain Theodore McFarland has called on the country’s Tapuaiga in prayers and moral support.
Samoa and Belgium made it back-to-back wins on match day two of the Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai.
Belgium, who defeated Namibia in their first game, survived a scare as they played for over half an hour with just 14-men against Brazil, edging the game 30-27 with a try in the final two minutes to replacement prop Maxime Jadot.
Samoa, who accounted for Brazil on match day one, looked far more comfortable against Namibia, clinching the match 26-8.
The teams now have a few days to recover and prepare for one of the biggest matches in both nations’ histories.
Samoa has played in every Word Cup since its historic entry in 1991, had been pushed to the edge to play the final qualification rounds as the sides quality was diminished due to the availability of its top players.
After losing to Chile earlier in the competition when 10 players pulled out before match day, a former Manu Samoa Captain Filipo Levi made a public appeal for the players to make themselves available for the final qualification round.
The much rejuvenated side now has one more hurdle to get past Belgium to make the 2027 World Cup in Australia where it has a huge fan base.
In the second game a fast-improving Samoa were outstanding in a 26-8 victory over Namibia, which ends the Welwitschias dreams of Rugby World Cup 2027 and keeps Samoa firmly on track to claim the final place at Australia 2027.
Samoa were dominant right from the kick-off excelling in all facets of the game to totally control the first half, going into the sheds 19-0 thanks to tries to scrum-half Jonathan Taumateine and wings Va’afauese Apelu Maliko and Latrell Ah-Kiong, full-back Jacob Umaga adding two conversions.
Namibia started better in the second half with sustained pressure rewarded by a penalty goal from fly-half Cliven Loubser, to bring the score back to 17-3.
Namibia sought to play the game in Samoa’s territory using the excellent long kicking games of full-back Divan Rossouw, scrum-half Helarius Kisting and Loubser. But every kick was met with just as intelligent returns from the Samoa back three of Umaga, Apelu Maliko and Ah-Kiong.
Samoa also chose their moments well when to throw the ball wide and when to keep it tight, executing a driving maul close to the line perfectly on 54 minutes to see flanker Alamanda Motuga go over, Umaga landing the conversion from near the touchline to make it 26-3.
Namibia were able to turn the ball over at the breakdown 11 times, with Samoa’s total of 21 turnovers lost and just two won sure to concern Samoa head coach Lemalu Tusiata Pusi. But overall this was a very professional and disciplined Samoa outfit that look like they are running into form at exactly the right time.
Even when Namibia broke the Samoan line with just 15 minutes to go with a speedy break down the left-hand side, smart defence from Umaga and Ah Kiong closed down any opportunity for a Namibian five pointer. But the brave Welwitschias, led valiantly by the non-stop captain and hooker Louis van der Westhuizen, never gave up and were rewarded for their endeavor with a clever cross kick from Johan Deysel, putting Jay-Cee Nell over out wide with 11 minutes remaining to bring the score back to 26-8.
Namibia kept fighting valiantly with excellent defense. right to the end, winning the second half 8-7, which was a great result for Peter Rossouw’s team, who, if they had shown this form earlier in the tournament, may have had a better result against Belgium.
Rossouw was pleased with the 80-minute performance of his team: “We are very happy with the commitment and the effort the guys showed today. We were a lot more physical in the contact, which wasn’t that great the other day against Belgium, and I think we played the right game plan. We just couldn’t keep the ball for long enough in our phases to put pressure on attack. But very happy tactically, very happy. And we finish really strong in the second half, we were very happy with that.”
While for Samoa Pisi lauded the presence of the new players coming into the squad, which includes former Australia prop Scott Sio: “Obviously, we’ve had a few players come in and they brought their experience and just a calibre of where they play, and probably the main stays of our team – that’s coming. So it’s been good for the other players that were involved in the last campaign to see the level of these players and where they need to get to.”
