Hall powers Fetu Samoa to record World Cup win

Jack Brady |

Wales had no answer to Samoa’s power, as Amber Hall turned in a player of the match performance.
Wales had no answer to Samoa’s power, as Amber Hall turned in a player of the match performance.

A memorable half-hour stint from wrecking ball front-rower Amber Hall has helped Fetu Samoa to a dominant 76-0 Women’s Rugby League World Cup win over Wales.   

The Sydney Roosters NRLW premiership-winning prop personified Samoa’s physical supremacy in their biggest-ever win. 

Entering proceedings midway through the first half, Hall powered her way over for points within five minutes. 

The 31-year-old stamped her authority again in the shadows of halftime when she steamrollered Welsh hooker Carys Marsh in a play that eventuated in a try to Ivana Lolesio and a 40-0 Samoa lead at the break. 

Samoa celebrate World Cup try.
The were celebrations all the way for Samoa, as they racked up a best-ever win. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)

A further try assist in the second half capped off an unstoppable showing for player of the match Hall.   

Samoa produced a 116-point swing with their win, which followed their tournament-opening 40-0 loss to Australia on October 16.

The Jillaroos are scheduled to face the hapless Welsh – 70-6 losers first time out – next weekend. 

While they had their chances early, Wales had no answer to Samoa’s physicality, which first came to the fore when prop Laikha Clarke crashed over after nine minutes. 

Two tries to debuting teenage centre Tyra Ekepati and another for fullback Destiny Mino-Sinapati followed over the next 13 minutes, before Hall and winger Mercedez Taulelei-Siala extended Wales’ pain.   

Tyra Ekepati of Samoa.
Tyra Ekepati enjoyed a memorable debut, scoring a World Cup hat-trick for Samoa against Wales. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)

Samoa soon continued where they left off when five-eighth Evania Isa’ako strolled over from dummy half and centre Monica Tagoai benefited from the playmaking Hall. 

Mino-Sinapati and Taulelei-Siala each added a second try midway through the second half while winger Freedom Crichton Ropati jagged another for Samoa into the final 10 minutes. 

Tries to Ekepati, her third, and lock Tavarna Papalii in the dying stages rounded out Samoa’s first Women’s World Cup win in 18 years. 

AAP