Samoa crush France 78-4 in Rugby League World Cup opener

What happened

Samoa kicked off their 2026 Rugby League World Cup campaign with a dominant 78-4 victory over France at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Friday night. Toa Samoa scored 14 tries, with replacement winger Sualauvi Fa'alogo crossing four times and centre Stephen Crichton kicking 11 goals for 22 points. The Samoans raced to an 18-0 lead within the first 10 minutes, with Deine Mariner scoring in the third minute before being replaced due to a hamstring injury. Coach Ben Gardiner told players at halftime to keep the ball better after a dip in their performance late in the first 40 minutes. Samoa led 34-4 at the break and dominated the second half, with Fa'alogo adding two more tries. Co-captain Junior Paulo thanked supporters after the game, saying their backing meant everything to the team. The heavy win boosts Samoa's points differential and their hopes of reaching the semi-finals, where only the top two teams from their group will advance. In the women's competition, Fetū Samoa lost 40-0 to defending champions Australia but won praise for their defensive effort, particularly in the second half, when Australia managed only 12 points.

Why it matters

New Zealand's own Kiwis campaign began with two players making debuts in Thursday's World Cup opener against Australia. Samoa's commanding 78-4 win over France shows the Pacific nations are strong contenders in a tournament where only the top two teams from each group will reach the semi-finals.

Follow the whole thread: Kiwis 2026 Rugby League World Cup campaign

Key facts

• Samoa beat France 78-4 with 14 tries
• Sualauvi Fa'alogo scored four tries
• Stephen Crichton kicked 11 goals
• Match played Friday at CommBank Stadium, Sydney
• Top two teams from group advance to semi-finals

What happens next

Samoa face Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby next week before a pool match against Tonga.

Primary source: 2026 Rugby League World Cup

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Coverage across the news outlets we track, as at publication.

Where the outlets differ

1News focuses on the 28-0 lead inside 20 minutes and the tournament format implications for Samoa's knockout hopes. RNZ's match recap emphasises Fetū Samoa's defensive performance against Australia in the women's match on the same night and notes the wider Pacific Islands participation. The Stuff and initial RNZ headlines were live coverage placeholders; the later RNZ articles provide full detail.

What outlets are saying