Fetu Samoa kicked off a new era under the coaching of Jamie Soward in style on Sunday, holding off a strong finish from Fiji Bulikula to record a 26-12 victory.
The match, which was played on an afternoon in which temperatures reached 30°C at the Santos National Football Stadium Port Moresby, ended a four-year wait between games for Fiji and was Samoa's first outing since 2020.
Despite having much less experience in their squad than Samoa – whose side included dual-code international Niall Williams-Guthrie, Maroons hooker Destiny Brill and former Kiwi Fern Annetta-Claudia Nu'uausala – it was Fiji who got off to the better start.
Cowboys NRLW player Vitalina Naikore saw her side out to a 4-0 lead on six minutes with a try out wide, before Samoa responded with a four-pointer to Eels wing Lindsay Tui.
Vitalina Naikore try
After a long period of defending on their own line, Soward's charges backed up with another try to Taylor Mapusua, before Nu'uausala struck a telling blow just before the break with her side's third.
Fiji enjoyed a couple of strong scoring chances early in the second period and were unlucky not to get over, but soon found themselves further behind after Tui secured her personal double.
Lindsay Tui try 2
Trailing 20-4 with 20 to play, the Fijians then hit go with a pair of tries in quick succession which closed the gap to eight and set up an exciting finish.
First Naikore scored the best try of the day after getting on the end of a clever cross-field kick from Sereana Naitokatoka, before a spirited carry saw Aliti Namoce finish over the line.
Vitalina Naikore second try
Samoa centre Petesa Lio then added to her side's woes by ending up in the sin bin for a professional foul, but despite the numerical disadvantage her teammates managed to stem the tide and put the result beyond doubt with a second try to Mapusua inside the final minute.
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Match Snapshot
- The win was Fetu Samoa's first since a 52-8 victory over Russia at the 2008 World Cup.
- It was the first time the two nations have played each other in a women’s Test match.
Fiji Bulikula perform the Fijian Hymn
- Samoa produced seven line breaks in the match while Fiji failed to register any.
- Destiny Mino-Sinapati left the field for a HIA on 15 minutes and didn't return, while her Samoa teammate Destiny Brill underwent an assessment in the second half which she passed.
- Sharks forward Talei Holmes was strong for Fiji, getting through 32 tackles.
- In her first rugby league Test match, Niall Williams-Guthrie had 15 runs for 159 metres and defended well in the centres.
- Fiji made eight first-half errors in a game in which they made 12 in total.
- Both Samoan wingers, Lindsay Tui and Taylor Mapusua, scored doubles in the win.
Play of the Game
In her first game for Fetu Samoa following a long period of representing the Kiwi Ferns, Annetta-Claudia Nu'uausala announced her arrival with a huge hit on Anastacia Shum-Cottrell.
Annetta-Claudia Nu'uausala big hit