England defeated Samoa 92–3 at the Rugby World Cup in England.
England scored 14 tries, but the biggest cheer of the day came when Samoa scored their first World Cup points in over a decade. Fly-half Harmony Vatau kicked a penalty that sent the crowd of nearly 15,000 into loud applause.
Samoa, a team of mostly part-time players, had already lost their first game 73–0 to Australia. This time, they hoped to keep England’s score lower but instead found joy in earning points of their own. Captain Sui Pauarasia encouraged the shy young Vatau to take the kick, and she calmly sent the ball through the posts.
The Samoan players celebrated with smiles and dancing, showing how much the moment meant to them. Coach Ramsey Tomokino said the team had worked hard just to be at the tournament. He explained that Samoa had not qualified for the last two World Cups, making this one even more special.
Even though England’s score was very high, Tomokino said what mattered most was that Samoa was improving and finally playing on the big stage.
