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Hello and welcome to the midday sunshine at Brighton's Amex Stadium. After yesterday's astonishing events at this ground, where the Brave Blossoms of Japan defeated rugby giants and two time world champion South Africa 34-32, Pool B has now been blown wide open. Both Samoa and the United States, today's competitors, will be looking to steal an early march in the race to secure qualification to the quarter finals.
As the national anthems get underway and we wait for Samoa's version of the Haka, the Siva tau, it's worth reiterating that the Eagles have never beaten Samoa in any of their four previous tests. A perfect time then to break the trend!
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| 1 |
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Today's referee George Clancy of Ireland signals for the game to get underway and we're off. The United States recover from their own kick off and are on the attack early. Samoa, as always, will be physical in defence and the Eagles knock on. A feisty start. Rey Lee-Lo of Samoa is injured however, a terrible start to the campaign for the centre, replaced by Mike Stanley.
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| 2 |
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It's a head injury for Lee-Lo. Concussion protocol is very much on the table for this World Cup and no risks are taken. Samoa win a penalty at the scrum and will look to assert their dominance early up front.
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| 3 |
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| 5 |
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Unsurprisingly scrappy and nervous early but Samoa are on the attack with outside centre Paul Perez carrying well. The United States repel the attack and fly half Alan MacGinty clears.
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| 7 |
3 - 0 |
Some brutal his are flying in early doors, hardly surprising given the physical nature of the two sides. The United States fail to roll away and Tusi Pisi will have an early chance to get Samoa on the board from 40 metres out, dead in front of the posts. No problem, Samoa lead by three.
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| 8 |
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| 9 |
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It seems that Lee-Lo's substitution was only a temporary measure to check his faculties and the inside centre returns to the field.
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| 11 |
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Alesana Tuilagi absolutely rocks speedster Taku Ngwenya but Samoa are penalised and the USA have an attacking platform, outgoing Northampton Saint Samu Manoa carrying well in midfield. MacGinty probes towards the corner, Ronan O'Gara style and Samoa will have a defensive lineout on their 5 metre line.
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| 14 |
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Sloppy from the United States after a high ball and Maurie Fa'asavalu rampages in to the Eagles territory. Samoa fail to make the most of their momentum however and the United States will put in to the scrum after a knock on. Points at a premium early.
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| 16 |
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A chance for Samoa to extend their lead as the United States seal off at the ruck illegally. Pisi lines the shot at goal up again, a little off the left this time. Well shot from the angle. The United States clear.
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| 17 |
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Tim Nanai-Williams of Super 15 side the Chiefs launches a new assault but again the Eagles clear the ball. Samoa are now beginning to turn the screw however.
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| 19 |
8 - 0 |
Try Samoa! Massive pressure through repeated carries up the middle before Kahn Fotuali'i switches field. Tusi Pisi prods the ball through and Nanai-Williams is there to dot the ball down for his first international try in his second test. Nanai-Williams is a New Zealand convert and has proved his brilliance constantly on the domestic scene. Pisi misses the kick and Samoa lead 8-0.
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| 22 |
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Samoa break from deep and are beginning to play some wonderful flowing rugby. From their own 22 to within 15m of the United States line before an inopportune knock on brings a premature end to the move. Exciting from the Pacific Islanders.
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| 24 |
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Alesana Tuilagi crashes through the ten channel, a devastating runner in the midfield and on the crash ball. Pisi then kicks the ball out on the full, the only glitch in an otherwise excellent start by the number 10.
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| 26 |
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Kahn Fotuali'i, Northampton Saints scrum half, does exactly the same as Pisi an the United States have an attacking lineout. Lost however! Flanker Jack Lam breaks in to the United States half but lacks support and the Eagles turn it over. Now a penalty to Samoa in front of the sticks! Not releasing and this should be an easy kick.
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| 27 |
11 - 0 |
Simple for Pisi and the United States are slipping behind a touch here. Samoa are looking far more dangerous and look like creating every time they touch the ball.
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| 29 |
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| 30 |
11 - 3 |
Finally an attacking platform for the United States and MacGinty makes ground with a dummy switch. Penalty United States and this is the most simple of kicks to get themselves on the board. MacGinty will take the kick but appears to the be feeling the effects of an earlier tackle. No problem however. 11-3.
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| 33 |
11 - 8 |
Try! Absolutely brilliant from the United States. The Eagles turn over a Samoa lineout from within their own 22 and AJ MacGinty breaks. He feeds to Seamus Kelly who cuts back inside to supply an easy finish to Saracens stalwart Chris Wyles. Oustanding finishing. The United States come to life and are back in the game. MacGinty misses but the game is back within 3 points.
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| 35 |
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| 37 |
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Another mistake from a number nine, this time Mike Petri who kicks the ball out on the full. Samoa feed to Jack Lam and the maul gets rolling. Penalty advantage however and the Samoans have another simple chance to extend their lead again. Pisi will take the kick.
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| 38 |
14 - 8 |
No problem for Pisi and the lead is out to six again. 2 minutes until half time.
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| 40 |
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Pisi launches a final cross field kick, claimed by the solid Blaine Scully and the United States launch one final assault. Knock on however and that brings to an end a compelling first half.
Samoa with all of the early running but the United States have grown in to the game as the half wore on. The Pacific Islanders are still the presumptive favourites but the Eagles have proved that they can score from anywhere on the field too.
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| 40+1 |
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Rob Bartlett in Brighton for ESPN - The scene was set inside two minutes as Thretton Palamo landed a thunderous hit on opposite centre Rey Lee-Lo: USA are here to win, not make friends. The Eagles started slow - too many errors in the breakdown allowed Samoa to rack up early points. Fly-half Tusi Pisi wowed the watchers with a sublime offload early on and was instrumental in the Pacific Islanders' opening try. His beautifully-placed grubber cut the USA backline like melted butter and Tim Nanai-Williams finished with ease - a worry for the men in navy. However, Mike Tolkin's side reacted the way Japan did against South Africa on Saturday. Captain Chris Wyles finished a sublime team move that will no doubt be considered as a contender for try of the tournament. Pisu struck with another penalty shortly before the break, but we're finely poised here in Brighton.
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| 40 |
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The sun continues to shine as the Tusi Pisi gets the second half underway with the match finely poised. And the Americans are on the attack straight away! Thretton Palamo bulldozes his way through but AJ MacGinty runs in to his own player, accidental offside and scrum Samoa.
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| 42 |
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Out on the full once more from Tusi Pisi. Both team's haven't been prolific in the kicking department out of hand thus far.
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| 43 |
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| 44 |
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Solid build up from the Eagles but they dive off their feet at the ruck one more and Samoa will get a platform to launch an attack deep within the States' half.
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| 45 |
19 - 8 |
TMO time at the AMEX stadium! Samoa score but George Clancy wants to check if they knocked it on in the chaos of the build up. Another chip through from Pisi and Nanai-Williams nearly collects it again. Knocked away by Ngwenya but from the resulting ruck captain Ofisa Treviranus has a simple finish. Pisi hits the post with the conversion attempt. 19-8 to the Pacific Islanders.
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| 47 |
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A perfect start to the second half for Samoa, who have another penalty on their own 10 metre line from which they can push forward once more.
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| 48 |
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| 49 |
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Penalty to Samoa. The United States are penalised for a dangerous tackle and Pisi will once moe have a chance to extend his teams lead.
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| 50 |
22 - 8 |
Does so with the minimum of fuss. Samoa now lead by two converted tries and the game is slipping away from the United States. Changes for both sides in the front row as the coaches look to freshen their respective packs up.
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| 51 |
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| 52 |
22 - 11 |
Penalty to the United States this time and MacGinty will look to chip away at the lead. Does so and Samoa now lead 22-11.
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| 55 |
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Ngwenya breaks free down the right flank but some excellent tackling from Samoa halts the threatening break. Turnover now as George Clancy pings the United States for hanging on. Chance wasted.
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| 59 |
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A lull in play with a series of errors from both sides. The calm before the final storm perhaps? Scrums abound at the minute.
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| 60 |
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Kahn Fotuali'i kicks it out on the full once more, beginning to be a running theme with the Samoan half backs. More crushing tackling and now Perez is on the move. Another huge hit! No quarter asked, no quarter given. Scrum Samoa.
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| 61 |
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| 62 |
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Another bustling run from Perez but a forward pass halts the move for Samoa. The second half of the scrum as the game begins to waver just a touch.
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| 64 |
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Perhaps unsurprisingly, with the crowd's attention beginning to waver, 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' reverberates around the Amex. Re-set, repeat, re-set, repeat at scrum time for now.
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| 65 |
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Ngwenya with an electric run! The flyer, who still plies his trade with Biarritz in France, flies past Samoan defenders before an excellent tackle by Perez. The crowd brought back to life.
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| 66 |
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Chance for Samoa. Alesana Tuilagi is set free down the left and he flattens Chris Wyles before his offload to Lee-Lo is knocked on. So very nearly for Samoa as they look to shut the down on the Eagles for good.
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| 69 |
25 - 11 |
Penalty for Samoa. The United States are pinged for crossing and Mike Stanley slots an excellent kick from the touchline. 25-11 Samoa as we head in to the final ten minutes.
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| 71 |
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Here come the Eagles in desperation. Thretton Palamo has been their most dangerous runner and he's causing havoc again. Penalty to the United States as Tuilagi is called offside. One final chance?
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| 73 |
25 - 16 |
TMO time. What fun for all. The United States burrow towards the line and look to have scored! They have. This game isn't finished quite yet. Chris Baumann, the replacement prop, sneaks over from all of half a metre out. A true prop's try. MacGinty misses the conversion however. Shame for the Eagles.
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| 74 |
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| 75 |
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Nanai-Williams again! The Samoans have some exciting playmakers. The diminutive full back threads his way through the United States' defence before an eventual turnover penalty gives MacGinty a chance to clear downfield.
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| 77 |
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In to the final three minutes and the game is all but over. Samoa running down the clock a little as we enter the last few plays of the game.
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| 79 |
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Penalty Samoa as the desperate United States hands attempt to steal the ball. We're in to the games final play as the Eagles steal again.
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| 80 |
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Full time! A relatively comfortable victory for Samoa in the end while the United States never truly got close enough to challenge the Pacific Islanders. South Africa are up next for Samoa in a game that was monumental implications for qualification from Pool B.
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| 80+1 |
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Rob Bartlett in Brighton for ESPN- In the end, there would be no fairytale for the USA. For all of their fight, the Eagles could not replicate Japan's heroics as Samoa proved too strong. Mike Tolkin can take plenty of heart from this performance though - there were glimpses of brilliance, in particular a sublime team-try finished by captain Chris Wyles and an impressive maul try against the front power of the Pacific Islanders. But he will be dismayed by the number of errors his side racked up, especially at critical times. It was these penalties that allowed Samoa to run away with the game, amid some fine individual brilliance from fly-half Tusi Pisi. On this showing, reaching the quarterfinals will be a stretch too far for the USA. Samoa, on the other hand, have given South Africa plenty to ponder after a dramatic weekend in Brighton.
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| 80+2 |
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| 80+3 |
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| 80+4 |
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Read the full match report here
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