Scorecard
| England | vs | Samoa |
26 |
Score |
27 |
| 4 | Tries | 5 |
| 4 | Conversions | 3 |
| 1 | Penalty goals | 0 |
| 0 | Field goals | 1 |
England 26 (Farnworth 2, Whitehead, Bateman tries; Makinson 5 goals) def. by Samoa 27 (Lafai 2, Crichton 2, Sao tries; Crichton 3 goals; Crichton 1 field-goal)
Updates
3:32am AEDT -Â FIELD GOAL! SAMOA WIN! Stephen Crichton slots the left-footed drop-goal from 30 metres out, and Samoa advance to their first ever World Cup Final!
It's a deflated atmosphere here at Emirates Stadium, however the portion of Samoan fans are letting their voices be heard here. WOW!
3:29am AEDT -Â Anthony Milford's attempted field-goal is charged down, however England turn it back over two plays later through a Sam Tomkins forward pass out of dummy-half.
3:25am AEDT -Â We're heading into golden point! Both sides will run five minutes each way, first scorer wins!
3:22am AEDT -Â TRY! This game doesn't quit, and neither do the English side! George Williams bursts through the line 70 metres out, draws Joseph Suaalii and sets Herbie Farnworth away for his double.
Makinson converts and we're back to 26-26! What a match!
3:19am AEDT -Â England regain possession off the short kick-off, and are peppering the Samoan line.
3:16am AEDT -Â TRY! How does he always do it in the big games? Stephen Crichton does his best reenactment of the 2021 NRL Grand Final, plucking a Victor Radley pass out of mid-air and racing 60 metres to put Samoa back in front.
Crichton converts, and Samoa's lead is restored at 26-20.
3:14am AEDT -Â The English crowd are super vocal now, and you can see the lift in England's defence. There's some sting in their hits now, and venom in their kick returns. They're right up for this finish.
3:11am AEDT -Â The captain's challenge is UNSUCCESSFUL, and Tommy Makinson has tied us up following the penalty goal from the winger.
20-20 with just over ten minutes of play left!
3:08am AEDT -Â Another pivotal moment as we head upstairs for Samoa's captain's challenge. Contesting the ruling of a late hit on Sam Tomkins from Junior Paulo after the fullback put a bomb up.
A penalty could tie us up!
3:04am AEDT -Â TRY! England are back here! Herbie Farnworth is too strong for Samoa as the Brisbane centre beats four defenders to plant the ball down and get England back into this contest.
Makinson's kick sails over to claw it back to a two-point game, 20-18 in favour of Samoa.
3:02am AEDT -Â NO TRY! The ball has hit the chalk on the full before bouncing back in-field. Samoa hang onto their eight-point lead.
3:01am AEDT -Â We're going upstairs again! Jack Welsby's chip looks to big however England get the bounce, and John Bateman plants it down before it bounces out of play.
3:00am AEDT - Error by Samoa as Dominic Young is cut down metres short! The English crowd of 40,489 has found their voice.
2:58am AEDT - Tempers are flaring here as a melee between Sam Tomkins and Jarome Luai erupts - just a caution for both sides as we enter the final 20 minutes.
2:53am AEDT -Â TRY! Luai does what he does best, stepping inside a rushing defender to create a two-on-three, and from there on it's easy work for Tim Lafai to double his try tally for the afternoon.
Crichton's kick is waved away, however Samoa have their biggest lead of the match at 20-12.
2:50am AEDT - This could be the biggest moment of the match. Dominic Young lets a bomb go straight through his hands uncontested metres out from his own line. Samoa's scrum 10 metres out.
2:47am AEDT -Â This is settling into an absolute arm wrestle, however Samoa are the side full of confidence here. England are tackled just centimetres from their goal-line after a neat Lafai grubber, and the pressure continues to mount on the home side.
2:44am AEDT -Â TRY! That could be the try of the tournament! Jarome Luai dances through the middle before delivering a basketball pass to Junior Paulo, who throws it behind his head just before his arm touches the ground.
The ball lands into Milford's lap, who shuffles it right to Stephen Crichton to score Samoa's third.
The centre converts his own try, and Samoa regain the lead 16-12.
2:40am AEDT - TRY! The video referee Adam Gee awards the try to level us up.
Makinson converts from in front to hand England back the lead, 12-10.
2:39am AEDT -Â We're going upstairs! Tim Lafai takes a bomb on his goal line however bobbles it directly into the hands of John Bateman, who plants it under the sticks.
2:36am AEDT -Â We're back underway as Samoa go almightily close, only for Herbie Farnworth to drive on a loose ball and save the day.
2:18am AEDT -Â HALF TIME! Samoa are slowly redeeming their opening match against England as the underdogs take a slender 10-6 lead into the break.
Join us very soon for the second-half here at Emirates Stadium, LIVE on Zero Tackle.
Samoan fans are on their feet as their side takes a 10-6 lead into half-time.
All the scores and more live on @zerotackle, from the ground itself.#RLWC2021 pic.twitter.com/RttLLlIvwe
— Jack Blyth (@jblesfooty224) November 12, 2022
2:15am AEDT - So close for Samoa, however Milford's grubber is millimetres too long as Su'A's effort is too little too late. England earn a seven-tackle set.
2:13am AEDT - Makinson tries to do the impossible with an attempted bat-back, though proves it is just that - impossible. Samoa start their set ten metres out from their own line before a crusher tackle on To'o gets Samoa to halfway.
2:09am AEDT -Â TRY! Ligi Sao jumps out of dummy-half 20 metres out and darts down the short-side. The Super League forward throws a dummy to fool Dominic Young, before sliding over to score a monumental four-pointer.
Crichton's kick sneaks inside the uprights, 10-6 Samoa's way with under eight minutes to play in the opening half.
2:07am AEDT -Â A chance goes begging for England after they bobble a kick, however the referee finds a penalty. Straight back on the attack here, before sailing a grubber over the dead in-goal line.
2:02am AEDT -Â TRY! England won't be denied this time as former Canberra team mate George Williams finds the smallest of gaps between Royce Hunt and Jaydn Su'A, bursting through and quickly finding Whitehead in support, who scores next to the sticks.
Tommy Makinson converts to put England in front 6-4.
2:00am AEDT -Â England go oh so close, however Herbie Farnworth drops Williams' grubber metres out just seconds before Junior Paulo returns to the fray.
Samoa have held on after the sin-bin to their captain, and still lead 4-0.
1:57am AEDT -Â NO TRY! The former Titan bobbles the footy as he looks to plant it down, handing Samoa a seven-tackle set on the 20 metre line.
1:56am AEDT -Â We're going upstairs for a possible try to Kallum Watkins. The centre carried two Samoan defenders over the line, however we need to check the grounding.
1:55am AEDT -Â Stephen Crichton's flick pass to Brian To'o hits the turf as Elliott Whitehead flings Jaydn Su'A into touch after the back-rower collects the loose ball 30 metres out from their own line.
1:52am AEDT -Â Samoa again breath a sigh of relief as England give away a penalty whilst contesting a Williams bomb. The penalty is enough to get the underdogs out of the red zone.
1:50am AEDT -Â Carnage at Emirates Stadium as Fa'amanu Brown and Oregon Kaufusi clash heads in a tackle, leaving Brown out cold momentarily. Both are forced to leave the field as Chanel Harris-Tavita and Josh Papalii enter the fray.
Samoa temporarily have a one-man bench.
1:48am AEDT -Â A massive play by Stephen Crichton, who drops the ball backwards as he leaps for an intercept via a George Williams pass. Samoa regain possession as the 12-man outfit survive this set.
1:47am AEDT -Â Dramas here as Samoan captain Junior Paulo is sin-binned after dropping Thomas Burgess on his head in a tackle.
England will smell blood in the water here.
1:45am AEDT -Â OOF! Jaydn Su'A manhandles George Williams into touch, but not before the halfback flings the ball back into the field of play, forcing an error from Anthony Milford.
1:42am AEDT -Â A strong kick return from Joseph Suaalii as Samoa continue their assault on England, however the blue-and-white put it down through a mistimed Milford pass to Ligi Sao hits the turf.
England breath a sigh of relief as they start their set 30 metres from their own try-line.
1:38am AEDT -Â TRY! A flat shift to the left-hand side sees Anthony Milford shuffle the ball out to Jarome Luai, who finds a hard-running Tim Lafai. The former Bulldog and Dragon slices through for the opener.
Stephen Crichton's attempt is wide, 4-0 to the Samoans.
1:37am AEDT -Â Six again for Samoa on halfway as the pacific nation settles into this one.
1:35am AEDT -Â Relief for Samoa as they defend their line, only for Anthony Milford to put the ball out on the full down the other end after a wayward bomb.
1:33am AEDT -Â Kick-off is disastrous for Samoa as Suaalii puts the ball out on the full. England start the match deep in Samoa's half.
1:32am AEDT -Â Samoan have lit the fuse following their Siva Tau, goosebumps around Emirates Stadium.
Another spine-tingler here as Samoa prepare to avenge their 60-6 opening match loss to England.
Game on here at Emirates Stadium!@zerotackle #RLWC2021 pic.twitter.com/Mqbi2oSvn6
— Jack Blyth (@jblesfooty224) November 12, 2022
1:15am AEDT -Â The atmosphere is building here at Emirates Stadium, the sun is shining in London as we get ready for a wonderful day for rugby league. England are short-priced favourites here but rule Samoa out at your own peril - this will be a physical clash for the ages.
Emirates Stadium starting to fill up ahead of this belter of a clash between @England_RL and @RLSamoa.
Tipping England by 10, however a Samoan upset certainly wouldn’t surprise with the physical way they play.
Who’s your tip?
Follow the blog LIVE at @zerotackle#RLWC2021 pic.twitter.com/igSjzgUcex
— Jack Blyth (@jblesfooty224) November 12, 2022
12:45am AEDT
Hello and welcome to Zero Tackle's live coverage of the 2022 Rugby League World Cup as the second spot in next week's final goes on the line between tournament hosts England and Samoa.
We are about 45 minutes out from kick-off, so will have the final teams for you shortly.
18 Chris Hill
12 John Bateman
17 Mike Cooper
25 Tim Lafai
7 Anthony Milford (c)
15 Royce Hunt
10 Junior Paulo (c)
11 Ligi Sao
12 Jaydn Su'A
England will aim to follow up their opening day win at the Rugby League World Cup with a similar result when they take on a resurgent Samoa in the semi-finals.
Zero Tackle will cover the game live on Sunday morning from 1:30am (AEDT).
England hammered Samoa in the tournament opener after a pre-game with plenty of promise, but the same result hardly seems likely at the back end of the tournament.
While England walked through the group stage and then beat Papua New Guinea last weekend, Samoa had to come back from the England loss. They have done so excellently, beating Greece and France, before managing to get past fierce pacific island rivals Tonga last week.
Injuries are hampering Samoa, but they will still be up for the fight with a spot in the final on the line.
Refresh the page for live scores and commentary updates from 1:30am (AEDT).
