30 May 2023 Gold Coast, Queensland. The Manusina have continued their dominance of the Oceania Womens Championship with an 83-0 annihilation of Papua New Guinea at Queensland’s Gold Coast on Friday night.
Samoa ran in 13 tries against the Cassowaries, who were reduced to 14 players in the 11th minute.
Fullback Hasting Leiataua and winger Michelle Curry both scored first half doubles in a match where Samoa left its opponent tryless.
Manusina had kicked off their Oceania Womens Championship campaign last Friday with a 69-5 thrashing of Tonga.
On Tuesday night against PNG, the Samoa national women’s rugby 15s side remained focused and showed no mercy towards their fellow Pacific opponents.
Head Coach Ramsey Tomokino made several changes to the side who had beaten Tonga last Friday.
One notable change for fans of grassroots rugby in Samoa was the inclusion of local star Saelua “Lua” Leaula who started at
Fiji had beaten PNG 77-0 last Friday and today, Fiji defeated Tonga by 45-12.
Samoa now leads the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship 2023 standings on points difference ahead of Fiji as the two sides head to their winner-takes-all meeting on Sunday.
It means that whoever emerges victorious from the Samoa v Fiji match at Bond University on Sunday will claim the championship title and their place in the World XV 2, alongside Scotland, Japan and South Africa.
The team that loses on Sunday will compete in WXV 3 this October. So far, Ireland, Kazakhstan and Kenya have confirmed their participation in the third level of the new women’s international 15s competition.
Samoa vs PNG by World Rugby
The flanker was sent off following a dangerous tackle on Utumalama Atonio and it was the Samoan number eight who scored the opening try of the match from a powerful drive from the resulting lineout.
Unsurprisingly, much of the remaining contest took place in the Papua New Guinea half and Hasting Leiataua (twice), Michelle Curry (twice), Makayla Eli and Mollie Tagaloa all went over before the break.
That gave Samoa a 45-0 half-time lead and it was one they extended through Ana Mamea, Nina Foaese and Alyce Solaese in the opening 14 minutes of the second half.
Papua New Guinea continued to work hard but they were reduced to 13 players for 10 minutes on the hour mark as captain Joana Lagona received a yellow card for a high tackle.
Replacement Samoa hooker Lulu Leuta scored from the resulting lineout, but Papua New Guinea fashioned their best chance while two players light, as Fatima Rama was played into space on the left wing.
Rama’s chip over the covering defender sailed into touch, however, and Samoa were able to add two further tries, through captain Sui Pauaraisa and Bella Milo before the final whistle sounded.
“It was a slow start. We came in and said to the girls, never underestimate any team in the comp because everyone is tough,” Pauaraisa said.
“We panicked at the start and after our first try got together and said to the girls, we need to calm down, settle down and play with our game plan. So that worked out well.”
