After a big loss last weekend, it was likely that Samoa would prove much tougher opposition for England in the second test match at Headingley Stadium in Leeds as they looked to put into action an extra week of training and build up and ask England some harsher questions.
Shaun Wane made a few changes to last week’s winning side with Liam Marshall into the side for Dom Young and Junior Nsemba being brought into the starting line-up while Samoa also made a couple of changes including Leeds Rhinos bound Keenan Palasia being given a start off the bench.
England were big favourites with the bookies to make it a second win of the two-match series and exact a little more revenge for that exit at the semi-final stage in the last World Cup.
Samoa diffused the first England opportunity by grounding a George Williams grubber into goal on five minutes. The first points did come on ten when Harry Smith kicked a penalty goal after a high tackle from Samoa in front of the sticks.
Samoa snatched a surprise lead on twelve when a kick from Eroni Leilua took a strange bounce, was collected by Shawn Blore Anae Ulisese who evaded the tackle of two England defenders and drop to the ground to score. Junior Pauga added the conversion for a 6-2 lead.
Blore went close again on sixteen, but strong English defence held them out as Samoa took the upper hand, a much better start for the islanders than last week.
Fast hands and fancy footwork led to a debut try for Liam Marshall after the winger took a looping pass from George Williams before stepping off his left foot and coming inside to go between two defenders and ground. Smith added the extras from wide, England back into a narrow lead.
A careless tackle from Samoa saw Pauga sin-binned after repeated offences riled the official.
Williams went through a gap a minute after the yellow card and after the video official looked for an obstruction by Nsemba but found none, the skipper having the try awarded. Smith was wide with the conversion, the England lead six points with twenty-eight on the clock.
Just after the half hour the twelve men conceded again, Matty Ashton taking a long pass from Harry Smith to go in down the right wing and score from ten metres out. Smith was wide again with the conversion attempt, the English lead now ten points, an expensive yellow card for Samoa.
A moment of individual brilliance from Herbie Farnworth saw England score their fourth try of the game as Samoa returned to thirteen players. He took the ball thirty out, stepped off both feet and won the foot race to the line to score on the slide under the tackle. Smith added a conversion from wide for 22-6, England now controlling the game.
Three minutes after the restart the Samoan’s got their second try of the game when Jake Tago was first to react to an offload which originally went backwards before bouncing three metres forward and over the line. The centre grounding the ball after England failed to make it dead. Pauga added the conversion for 12-22, signs of a Samoa fightback.
The initiative swung back towards England on fifty-four, Farnworth stepping out of one tackle, fending off a second and going ten metres to stretch out and score. Smith added the extras, England 28-12 ahead and one step closer to sealing the win.
Farnworth could have got his third of the game on sixty-six but chose to pass inside to the supporting Jack Welsby who had a clean run to the line to score under the sticks. Smith was again on target for 34-12, England securing the series win by 2-0.
Samoa got a consolation on seventy-two when Nanai collected a neat Luai grubber to take the ball and dive in. Pauga was unable to add the extras, Samoa behind by 16-34.
Farnworth was close to a hat-trick on seventy-five but just couldn’t get the ball down and despite some bad tempered exchanges in the closing seconds, England took the win with some comfort.
In the end it was a comfortable series win for England but they had a far better workout than they might have expected from a series against France or Wales. The youngsters performed well and will give Wane plenty to think about in terms of future configurations. George Williams had another star game but was eclipsed by a sensational Herbie Farnworth who was in total control in taking his two tries.
England: Welsby (T), Marshall (T), Newman, Farnworth (2T), Ashton (T), Williams (T), Smith (5/7 G), Havard, Clark, Lees, Nsemba, Bateman, Radley. Subs: Lewis, McMeeken, Knowles, Thompson. 18th Man: Currie.
Samoa: Tuivasa-Sheck, Skelton, Tago (T), Pauga (2/2 G, SB on 25), Mariner, Talagi, Luai, Molo, Tevaga, May, Blore Anae Ulisese (T), Nanai (T), Leilua. Subs: Sasagi, Chan Kum Tong, Palasia, Vaalepu. 18th Man: Milford.
Half-Time: 22-6.
Full-Time: 34-16.
Score Progression: 2-0, 2-4, 2-6, 6-6, 8-6, (SB), 12-6, 16-6, 20-6, 22-6 :HT:22-10, 22-12, 26-12, 28-12, 32-12, 34-12, 34-16 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: England – Samoa – Square – England.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
