CommBank Stadium, Sydney — Toa Samoa have announced themselves at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup in emphatic fashion, producing a record-breaking 78-4 victory over France at CommBank Stadium on Friday night. In a performance defined by attacking precision, physical dominance and individual brilliance, Samoa crossed for 14 tries to deliver a commanding result in their opening Pool B fixture, setting a new benchmark for their biggest win over France at a Rugby League World Cup.
The men in blue needed little time to establish their authority. Five tries inside the opening 17 minutes put France under immediate pressure, with Samoa finding space across the field and converting attacking opportunities into points at a remarkable rate. Deine Mariner opened the scoring in the third minute, finishing a slick movement to cross untouched in the corner. Benaiah Ioelu followed before Jermaine McEwen marked his Test debut with a try, extending Samoa’s advantage to 18–0 inside the opening eight minutes. Mariner’s night was cut short when he left the field with a hamstring injury in the 10th minute, but his replacement, Sualauvi Fa’alogo, made an immediate impact. The Melbourne Storm fullback crossed for his first try before setting up Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on the inside as Samoa stretched their lead to 28–0. The attacking momentum continued as Jarome Luai orchestrated Samoa’s movements, creating opportunities for his outside backs and keeping the French defence scrambling. France found a response in the 25th minute through Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet, who finished an opportunity to register his side’s only try of the match. It offered a brief reprieve, but Samoa remained firmly in control.
Fa’alogo crossed again before half-time, taking his tally to two tries and sending Samoa into the sheds with a commanding 34–4 lead. Samoa returned from the break with the same intent, showing no signs of easing off despite their substantial advantage. Stephen Crichton crossed early in the second half after a powerful defensive hit from Brian To’o forced a French error. Crichton collected the loose ball and raced over before converting his own try to push the lead to 40–4. Shawn Blore added another in the 55th minute as Samoa continued to find success through their attacking combinations. Then came another decisive burst from Fa’alogo, who crossed twice in four minutes to complete a four-try performance and take Samoa beyond the 50-point mark. Coming off the interchange, Fa’alogo finished the night with four tries and 237 running metres, delivering one of the standout individual performances of the opening round. He appeared to have scored a fifth late in the match, but the bunker ruled the effort out for obstruction. Yet Fa’alogo’s night was only one part of a broader team performance. Samoa’s attacking depth was evident throughout the contest, with contributions coming from the backs, halves and forwards as France struggled to contain the movement and support play around them.
Luai was instrumental in directing the attack, recording four line breaks and two try assists, while Crichton finished with 10 successful conversions from 13 attempts. Their influence helped maintain Samoa’s attacking rhythm from the opening whistle through to the final stages. Chanel Harris-Tavita crossed after a slick passage of play through the middle, before Izack Tago and Francis Molo added further tries as the score continued to climb. Ioelu then completed his double in extraordinary circumstances on the final play. Crichton’s kick struck the upright and rebounded into the hooker’s hands, allowing him to cross for Samoa’s 14th try and seal the 78–4 result.
For co-captain Junior Paulo, however, the significance of the night extended well beyond the scoreboard. Addressing the media after the match, Paulo acknowledged the supporters who filled CommBank Stadium and the Samoan community around the world whose backing continues to inspire the team.
“Big thanks to the crowd who turned up tonight, they play a big factor in the atmosphere that they create for us. Every Samoan around the world, we appreciate you, we see all the hype,” Paulo said. “It’s only right we put our best foot forward and hope that we perform to the best of our abilities on the back of the hopes and dreams of the next generation, but also the prayers and blessings of our elders.”
Paulo’s words reflected the responsibility carried by the players whenever they represent Samoa on the international stage. For a team supported by communities across the world, the performance was an opportunity to give back to those who continue to stand behind the jersey, from the next generation aspiring to represent their country to the elders whose prayers and blessings remain part of the team’s journey. The emphatic result also gives Samoa an early boost to their points differential in Pool B, although tougher challenges await as the tournament progresses. Papua New Guinea and Tonga remain on the schedule, and the focus will quickly turn to maintaining the standard set in Sydney. For now, Toa Samoa can take confidence from an opening performance that combined individual brilliance with collective purpose. Four tries from Fa’alogo, a commanding display from Luai, and contributions from across the squad delivered a memorable start to the World Cup campaign.
In front of a passionate Samoan crowd at CommBank Stadium, the men in blue made their intentions clear. The journey towards the World Cup title has only just begun, but Toa Samoa have made sure the rest of the competition will be watching.
Full-time: Toa Samoa 78 def. France 4.
