Toa Sāmoa will face Australia in the Rugby League World Cup semi-final in Sydney on Sunday with only one change to their side, setting up a heavyweight contest against the defending champions at Allianz Stadium.
The stakes are clear. Sāmoa are trying to move one step closer to a Rugby League World Cup final after Australia ended their fairytale run in the 2022 final with a 30-10 win. This time, the team arrives with a new chance to chase history, and co-captain Junior Paulo said the pain of that loss has stayed with the players who were there.
Junior Paulo on the 2022 final loss
Paulo did not hide the emotion around the rematch. He said it would be a lie to claim the grand final defeat was not still burning for the group that experienced it, but added that this is a different campaign and a different squad. In his view, the focus now is on moving forward while still using that memory as motivation.
He also said he does not think the reminder of 2022 will be a problem for Sāmoa this week. For Paulo, the bigger message is that the group has earned the right to be in this position and has the chance to be part of history.
Australia bring form and a full-house setting
Australia arrive with momentum of their own after a 66-6 win over the Cook Islands, and Kevin Walters said the Kangaroos know they are in for a tough contest. He described Sāmoa as very impressive in a physical battle against Tonga and said Sunday night is set to be a major occasion in front of a full house at Allianz Stadium.
That combination makes the semi-final a true test for both sides. Sāmoa have already shown they can survive pressure in this tournament, even after a narrow 20-18 loss to Tonga in their final pool match, and now they have the chance to respond against the team that beat them in the biggest game of the last World Cup.
With one lineup change and a clear sense of purpose, Toa Sāmoa head into Sunday looking to turn motivation into an upset and keep their World Cup run alive.
