The last time Samoa took on Australia, they ended up on the wrong end of a 74-7 drubbing at Sydney's Olympic Stadium. Six years on, the two sides met again last Sunday in a 'warm-up' match as part of their preparation for the World Cup which starts in New Zealand in just under 2 months time.
Australia went into the game sitting second on the IRB world rankings, Samoa tenth, but while the South Sea Islanders named pretty much their strongest test side, the Wallabies opted for a mix of debutants, previously capped players still finding their feet at test level and a few experienced heads to bind it all together “ at least that was the theory.
Despite, the 'second-string' side, the script was already written as far as many were concerned - media, pundits and supporters alike. In their eyes, a typically tough and physical encounter would ensue which would fully examine the resolve and test worthiness of the new boys, stay interesting for maybe 50 minutes but in the end, the Wallabies would simply have too much for a team that had won only one of their previous six tests and would run out fairly comfortable winners.
Obviously, no-one passed that copy of the script on to the Samoans.
In the same stadium that they had been humbled in back in 2005, they put on a performance of such power, élan and fortitude, that the Wallabies were cowed into submission and belted backwards into a hole from which they had neither the know how, desire or application to drag themselves back out of. The result was a 32-23 victory, Samoa's first ever over Australia and in spite of the experimental nature of the team selection, one that sent shockwaves around world rugby and left the Australian media searching the history books for a darker day.
There have been some, a loss to Tonga in Brisbane in 1973 seems to be the uniformly agreed upon nadir while defeat at the hands of Scotland in 2009 also rates particularly high on the horror show list but while this result can be more easily brushed under the carpet due to the mitigating factors of timing and selection “ a triumphant Tri-Nations for the Wallabies will also help to erase memories “ it should still serve as a salutary lesson in respecting your opponent, no matter what their ranking suggests.
The Samoans admitted afterwards that the Wallaby team sheet had acted like a red rag to a bull and given them more incentive than usual to knock their more vaunted opponent off their perch and it was clear after only 5 minutes that they meant business. Fly-half Tusiata Pisi had given them a 3rd minute lead from a penalty but the brutality at the breakdown in the opening skirmishes and the succession of bell-ringing hits were already drawing gasps of admiration from the home faithful. Not yet concern, just admiration.
Even when giant Leicester Tigers winger Alesana Tuilagi blazed a solo trail down the touchline from fully 70 metres to score in the 11th minute and Pisi converted to cement a 10-0 lead, there were still no palpable signs of worry around Telstra Stadium. Shock? Yes. Bemusement? Most definitely, but still a generic thought something along the lines of 'Gee, they're looking good and we're still a bit rusty eh? Still, we'll be alright, they'll run out of steam.'
History shows that that is most definitely a trend for Pacific Island sides and that it is a fair criticism rather than a lazy stereotype. However, on this occasion, it didn't happen, Samoa looked as strong and as organised in defence in the 80th minute as they did in the 8th, both mentally and physically and it was a significant leap forward in terms of their concentration levels and their ability to play to the final whistle.
The fact that their side now boasts players from Super Rugby, the English Premiership, French Top 14 and the Magners League has also played a large part in the improvements made in professionalism and conditioning and they're now bringing that knowledge and experience back to the national side in spades.
Another factor on the day was the scoreboard. A characteristic trait the Island nations bring to the table is the power of momentum, keep the scoreboard ticking over and they can lose interest, let them get up a head of steam and they can become untouchable. This made the decisions by Australia to turn down four kickable penalties in the opening 30 minutes hard to fathom.
We've all been guilty of berating our team, whomever they may be, for playing too negatively or for adopting an overtly pragmatic approach, cajoling them to chance their arm more and entertain. So, one way to look at those decisions was to applaud their attacking intent, particularly in light of the 'entertain or win' debate that has raged in Australia this year and led to the NSW Waratahs holding an unprecedented fans forum where they were told in no uncertain terms to pick up the ball and run.
Conversely, we can all see the validity of pragmatic rugby when needs must. When you're 10-0 down then 17-0 down on your own turf against a side that is increasing in confidence with every point and every hit, a free chance to get on the board yourselves has to be a sensible option. It makes the opposition stop and think, helps to curb some of their blossoming enthusiasm and can alter their mindset and approach to the game.
We have no way of knowing that if Matt Giteau had slotted the first offer of 3pts over that three more opportunities would necessarily have followed “ sliding doors and all that - but the tone would have been set and maybe the Samoans would have been less inclined to come racing out of the line, giving the likes of Giteau, scrum-half Nick Phipps and inside centre Pat McCabe more time and space to work their magic.
As it was, they took until the 35th minute to trouble the scoreboard, Digby Ioane dissecting the line after Phipps showed what he is capable of with a killer pass into the winger's path. Giteau's penalty on the stroke of oranges brought them back to a 7pt deficit at the break and everything was set for the second half role reversal.
That it never materialised was as much down to Australia's continued ignorance of numbers at the breakdown as it was to Samoa's longevity. Time and again in the match, the Wallabies were smashed at the tackle contest, their turnover stats almost twice those of the Samoans and the inability to hold the pill for long enough to build phases, confidence and points, visibly toyed at the sense of belief in the team.
A Giteau penalty got them to within 4pts shortly after the break but that was as close as they would come and when Kane Thomson crossed at the other end after several attacking phases, even the most ardent of supporters in the stands sensed that the game might be up.
Despite the call for the cavalry following that try “ on came Quade Cooper, Kurtley Beale and Will Genia “ it was a case of locking the stable door after the horse had bolted and further punishment came in the 65th minute with a TMO ruling that George Pisi had indeed grounded the ball at the base of a melee of desperate bodies on the goal line.
A fantastic piece of opportunistic skill from impressive replacement Scott Higginbotham - a one handed scoop off his bootlaces, followed by a 10 metre chip and regather down the touchline and an offload for Giteau to score “ was perhaps the highlight of the game for the Wallabies and one of the rare occasions they actually made any headway down Tuilagi's wing all afternoon.
It was all set for a grandstand finish but the Samoans, roared on by an increasingly vocal and visible contingent, held firm, played smartly and even showed they could play with a well drilled and disciplined killer streak. They saw out the last 3 minutes with pick and drives on half-way designed to do nothing else but run down the clock and choke any remaining life and hope out of a late Wallaby revival.
They had been magnificent. Too big, too strong, too hungry and too good on the day and on that sort of form, will pose a major headache to the Springboks, Wales and Fiji in their World Cup group.
They celebrated as if they'd just won the tournament and surprised and delighted everyone who remained to witness their lap of honour by performing an improptu rendition of the Siva Tau - the traditional Samoan war dance - no less than four times. Wonderful, inspiring scenes.
It was perhaps fitting that part of the pre-match festivities had included the introduction of the World Cup winning Wallabies of 1991 to the crowd, many of whom have reminisced about the group match against Samoa in that tournament (a 9-3 victory) as being probably the toughest challenge they faced en route to lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy.
Sporting history teaches us many things, one of which is that you underestimate any opponent at your peril. Australia won't be making the same mistake again on Robbie Deans' watch.
Samoa 32 (Alesana Tuilagi, Paul Williams, Kane Thompson, George Pisi tries; Tusiata Pisi 3 cons, 2 pens) d Australia 23 (Digby Ioane, Matt Giteau tries; Matt Giteau 2 cons, 3 pens) at Telstra Stadium, Sydney. Referee: Marius Jonker
Crowd: 29,808
.jpg "Owen Farrell broke Jonny Wilkinson's points record and also had a penalty timed-out as England scraped past Samoa")
.jpg "England are keen to build on their opening three wins at the World Cup against Samoa")
