Pacific Cup Thrills: Fetu Samoa and Tonga Triumph in Epic Showdowns
Big Island weekend of sport!
Fetu Samoa vs Fiji Bulikula 16 – 12
Fetu Samoa fought back to win a thrilling encounter at the Womens Pacific Bowl Final against Fiji Bulikula. The Fijians who looked the better of the two teams where ahead on the scoreboard for 67 minutes, before Fetu Samoa Captain Annetta-Claudia Nu'uausala crashed over for her second try to seal the win and a place for her Samoan team at the next Womens Rugby League World cup 2025 in England.
The Fijians go home heartbroken but can claim the Audience Choice Award for the tournament and should be in the running for the best tries scored.
Fetu Samoa hopes are now that their fetu will shine brightly in the Rugby World Cup next year.
Mate Ma’a Tonga vs Kiwis 25 - 24
The showdown for a place in the final of the Pacific cup between New Zealand and Tonga almost proved to be a fizzer if you were a kiwi supporter. At the 32 minute mark Tonga leading 24 nil, many Kiwi supporters would have rubbing their car keys and thinking about an early exit from the mighty sea of red and white flags that covered the stadium.
The Kiwis managed to put a try in before the half time hooter, but at 24 – 6 the Kiwis were behind the 8, 9 and 10 ball. The beauty about sport is that not all games are sealed in the first half.
The Tongans who dominated the first half, were put to the sword as the Kiwi team revived from their half time oranges put on 4 unanswered tries to tie the game in the dying stages of the match 24 – 24.
In the end this game could have gone either way. But the Tongans had more composure to close off the game, Isaiya Katoa calmly taking a field goal to put Tonga ahead and crush the hearts of the desperate Kiwi’s.
Toa Samoa vs England 34 – 16
A brave Toa Samoa effort wasn’t enough to bring home a win in their 2nd match up with an English side that fancied themselves from the get go. Toa Samoa will rue missing try scoring opportunities that could have kept them in the game, but there are promising signs that even with a undergunned team, they are still able to contest for large passages of game play.
All Blacks vs England 24 - 22
After all the bluster of the past week, the English finally got to put their team on show. So much promise was touted, and if you were a betting man you would’ve put easy money on an English win. Unfortunately someone forgot to tell Wallace Sititi and Mark Telea.
Wallace Sititi has been the find of the season for the All Blacks, strong, balanced and has speed when needed. A deserved man of the match performance from the young 22yr old. Fun fact, Wallace is the son of former Manu Samoa captain Simo Setiti – who was also a monster of the game.
Mark Telea has had many punters questioning his selection, and on reflection of his two try haul, there is no other person in the All Black squad who could’ve scored those tries under the same conditions.
The English team were looking for their first win on home soil against an All Black team in 12 years. And the All Blacks for 60 minutes had tried to realise this dream for them by giving away silly penalties and making unforced handling errors.
At the 60 minute mark and 22 – 14 down, you sensed the game was sailing slowly away from the All Blacks. Unfortunately for the English the All Blacks rallied for the first time this season and put on a brilliant try to Mark Telea. Super sub Damien McKenzie makes the impossible conversion putting the All Blacks ahead 24 – 22.
A much needed win for the All Blacks and their coach as they move on to face Ireland next week.
Wallace Sititi and Mark Telea take a bow as the outstanding Island players who made an impact this weekend!
-
Thank you Coconet contributor Johnny Se’evae Kosokoso for your reckons.