Spain makes Manu Samoa work for 34-30 win
Manu Samoa beat a spirited Spain 34-30 in rainy and muddy conditions at Apia Park on Saturday.
Spain made Manu Samoa work for the win and while the wet conditions made things difficult, the home side held on to win the physical encounter.
Winger Owen Niue Fetu was the first on the scoreboard, scoring a try on his debut. Spain answered with a penalty through Gonzalo Vinuesa.
Fullback Feagaimafaleupolu Duncan Paia’aua was the second man to touch dow. Samoa led 14-3 with many thinking that this would be a one-sided affair.
Spain answered back with a try to halfback Estanislao Bay next to the post to take the score to 14-10.
Halfback Melani Matavao proved his selection to start as he darted under the post for Samoa’s third try. Spain snuck in a penalty just before the breather. The teams went to break with Manu Samoa leading 21 – 13.
It was Spain who started the second spell strongly. Wing Gauthier Minguillon touched down to close the gap and make it a one-piny ball game.
Spain then clinched the lead for the first time with a successful penalty making it 23-21.
Manu Samoa fired back with two penalties and leading 27-23.
Wing Nigel Ah Wong finished off a slick move to take Manu Samoa further ahead. A successful conversion took the score to 34 – 23.
Spain was relentless and they were rewarded with a try in the last seconds of the game through replacement hooker Alvaro Garcia to take the score to 34 – 30.
Manu Samoa captain Theodore McFarland said he was proud of the team’s performance despite the weather condition.
“In terms of performances, it wasn’t like last week but given the conditions, our discipline and our executions sort of went out of style today but the effort from the boys was there,” he said.
“Easy fix but given the conditions today, our execution is down below. We’re very very happy we won it, and we have two wins now. I think this is good for us going into PNC (Pacific Nations Cup), it sort of gives us some sort of confidence going into our next campaign.”
Spain’s captain Mario Pichardie congratulated Manu Samoa on their win and the country as a whole for their hospitality while they were here in Samoa.
“We came very close, we know we came here with nothing to lose, Samoa had a good performance with their win against Italy. So, for us as a team, we knew we had nothing to lose here. But we gave it our all, but we just came very short at the end of the game. I’m very proud of how the boys fought for eighty minutes,” he said.
Italy wins on its first visit to Tonga to end drought in Pacific islands
Italy finally won a rugby test in the South Pacific islands when it beat Tonga 36-14 on its first visit to Nuku’alofa on Friday.
The Italians were able to move the ball wider than they did in the loss to Samoa a week ago, and their pressure and scrum earned them five tries to two against a Tonga team playing its first match since the Rugby World Cup nine months ago and starting four debutants.
Italy had gone 0-9 in Fiji, Samoa and the Cook Islands.
The visitors led 15-0 at halftime after tries to Jacopo Trulla, who escaped two defenders on top of him on the right touchline, and to fellow wing Monty Ioane between the posts after consecutive attacking scrums. Ioane was denied another on halftime by a try-saving tackle from Tonga scrumhalf Aisea Halo.
No. 8 Viliami Taulani barged over from a ruck for a converted try after the break, but Tonga was only briefly back in the game.
Italy counterattacked from its own 22 and smashed into Tonga’s half through Tommaso Menoncello. Great support play was capped by captain Michele Lamaro scoring.
After multiple close-in rucks, replacement scrumhalf Alessandro Garbisi exposed a huge gap to score and his brother Paolo Garbisi’s conversion made it 29-7.
Then Tonga scored its own highlight try, stealing from an Italy maul two meters from its tryline, breaking out and finishing with center Fetuli Paea scoring untouched from halfway.
Italy had the last say, though, in injury time with a penalty try after a series of attempted scrum pushovers.
The Italians play Japan this weekend.