Sports · Other Sports · 4 hrs ago
Samoa beat France 78-4 in World Cup opener
Samoa beat France 78-4 in their Rugby League World Cup opener at CommBank Stadium in Sydney.
Sua Fa’alogo scored four tries as Samoa ran in 14 tries to France’s one.
The result was Samoa’s highest score and biggest winning margin, giving the Pacific nation a strong start.
Samoa’s experienced squad includes several players who have won NRL titles and played in the previous World Cup final.
The win boosts Samoa’s knockout hopes by improving their points differential, but the tournament format means Samoa, England or Tonga will miss the last four.
Samoa play Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby next week, then face Tonga in Sydney.
Winger Deine Mariner left the game with a suspected hamstring problem and is due to have a scan.
Samoa beat France 78-4 in their Rugby League World Cup opener at CommBank Stadium in Sydney.
Samoa scored 14 tries to France’s one, with Sua Fa’alogo crossing four times.
The win was Samoa’s highest-ever score and winning margin, according to Fox Sports.
France’s only try came from winger Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet.
Samoa winger Deine Mariner left the field in the first half with a suspected hamstring problem.
- Who
- Samoa and France’s men’s teams.
- What
- Samoa won 78-4, scoring 14 tries to France’s one.
- When
- Friday, October 16, 2026.
- Where
- CommBank Stadium in Sydney.
- Why
- It was the opening match of Samoa’s World Cup campaign. The win strengthened Samoa’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The SMH published a preview of Samoa’s World Cup campaign and its match against France.
Samoa beat France 78-4 in their World Cup opener in Sydney.
Samoa coach Ben Gardiner said Mariner would have a scan the next day to assess his hamstring.
- Final score
- Samoa 78-4 France
- Tries
- Samoa 14; France 1
- Fa’alogo
- Four tries
- France try scorer
- Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet
- Venue
- CommBank Stadium, Sydney
- Mariner
- Left the match in the first half with a suspected hamstring problem
3 sources
What people are saying
We put really good pressure on the opposition,
Deine’s good. He’s just got some hammy awareness,