Jones relief as Samoa win

Outgoing Samoa coach Michael Jones was relieved to see his side finally get a win on the board as they brought the curtain down on a disappointing World Cup
campaign with a 25-21 victory over the United States in St Etienne.

Lome Fa'atau, Alesana Tuilagi and Kane Thompson scored first-half tries as the Polynesians avoided the ignominy of going through the tournament winless,
following earlier Pool A defeats to South Africa, Tonga and England.

They were pegged back in the second half, and the US grabbed scores through Takudzwa Ngwenya and Louis Stanfill to close the gap.

But the Pacific Islanders held on much to the relief of New Zealand legend Jones, who will now leave his post after seven years' involvement in Samoan
rugby.

"It is wonderful to get a win,'' he said. "We have been waiting for this, and it is important that we achieved it.

"We had a great first half, and we showed glimpses of our potential.

"In the second half, we warned that they could come back well, like they did against England and Tonga, and we really want to give credit to them.

"I am a strong believer in the potential of Samoa. And in the first 40 minutes, I'm pretty sure the rugby world saw what we were capable of.

"We didn't do too well in periods of the second half, like in the last 10 minutes against England and when we lost to Tonga.

"It's been that kind of journey for us - we've spent more time in valleys than in the mountain tops.''

Samoa may have avoided the group's wooden spoon but Jones admitted it had been a campaign of underachievement by his side.

"We are obviously disappointed that we couldn't get to the levels we set ourselves because we firmly believe we were capable of them,'' added the former
All Blacks back-row forward.

"There is a disappointment that we didn't reach the levels of our potential consistently.

"We have under-achieved. The expectation of our people was for us to do better and I take that on my shoulders as coach.

"We need to take time to analyse why we didn't fulfil the potential. We showed glimpses but weren't capable of doing it when it mattered, for 80
minutes.''

With three defeats from three so far and a clash with South Africa to come on Sunday, the USA are set to finish the World Cup winless.

They grabbed a bonus point here by losing by less than seven points but, as against England and Tonga earlier in the competition, they were made to pay for
their poor start.

They were 22-3 down at half-time and it could have been more as Samoa pierced the Eagles' defence time and again, fly-half Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu in inspired
form.

The second period was a different story, though. The Americans grabbed their two tries and fly-half Mike Hercus booted 11 points, but a final try eluded
them.

Coach Peter Thorburn, who like Jones will leave his post at the end of the tournament, said: "It's a mystery why we fell away early on.

"We didn't get the set-piece right or any line-out ball. Nothing magic was said at half-time but we improved.

"I think they got a little too far ahead at 22-3, but we toughed it out and the US public like to see that. They like to see effort put in.''

Captain Hercus felt inexperience was to blame for yet another poor opening 40 minutes.

"Our players get only one or two chances to play in front of 30,000 or 40,000 people,'' said the former Sale Shark.

"When our players run out, maybe they are taken aback by the enormity of the situation.

"We tell them not to worry about it but the only thing that can help them with this is experience.''

Number eight Fifita Mounga, yellow-carded in the second half, came back on only to be flattened by a powerful tackle by Samoa flanker Justin Purdie.

Mounga was carried off on a stretcher and was immediately taken to hospital, but Thorburn played down the extent of the injury.

"He's got feeling in both hands and in his neck,'' he said. "They are taking him away for an MRI scan but it looks pretty positive.''

He added: "Samoa are a physical side and South Africa will be the same on Sunday, so we have to get used to it.

"We got a few knocks against England and had a three-day timespan to recover, so we have to survive and get out there and play again.''