Fetu Samoa have made a powerful statement at the IRL Rugby League World Cup, producing a record-breaking 76-0 victory over Wales in Round 2 to keep their historic semi-final ambitions firmly within reach.
Led by a dominant forward pack, a clinical attacking performance and a hat-trick from debutant Tyra Ekepati, Fetu Samoa overwhelmed Wales at CommBank Stadium on Friday night, recording the highest points tally in the nation’s women’s international rugby league history. The emphatic result marks a significant response from Frank Pritchard’s side following their opening-round clash with the Jillaroos and sets up a crucial final group-stage encounter against England in Wollongong next Friday. With a place in the semi-finals still up for grabs, Fetu Samoa have given themselves every reason to believe they can reach the final four for the first time in the nation’s Women’s Rugby League World Cup history.
Ekepati announced herself on the international stage in outstanding fashion, crossing for three tries in a memorable debut performance. The young outside back was among the standouts in an attack that consistently found ways through the Welsh defence, with Samoa’s ability to convert field position into points proving decisive throughout the contest. Laikha Clarke opened the scoring in the eighth minute before Ekepati crossed twice in the opening 21 minutes. By the time Amber Hall powered over in the 25th minute, Fetu Samoa had established complete control of the contest. The momentum continued through the second half as Samoa maintained their intensity and continued to punish Wales defensively. Hall, named Player of the Match, delivered a commanding performance through the middle, scoring a try, breaking nine tackles and recording 108 running metres. Her physical presence helped establish the platform for Samoa’s outside backs to capitalise, while the forward pack continued to generate opportunities as the match progressed. Destiny Mino-Sinapati and Mercedez Taulelei-Siala each crossed for two tries, highlighting the range of attacking threats available to Pritchard’s side. Ivana Lolesio, Evania Isa’ako, Monica Tagoai, Freedom Crichton Ropati and Tavarna Papalii also found the try line as Samoa’s points tally continued to climb. Papalii’s try in the 68th minute brought the performance close to its conclusion, capping a second-half effort in which Fetu Samoa added seven tries to their first-half total.
The 76-point haul surpassed Samoa’s previous record of 52 points, set against Russia at the 2008 Women’s Rugby League World Cup. Halfback Pauline Piliae-Rasabale also set a new national record for most conversions in a match, landing 10 goals to cap a commanding display with the boot. The records reflected a performance built on sustained pressure, clinical finishing and contributions across the field. Samoa’s ability to spread the scoring across the team will provide confidence heading into a far more demanding test against England. After pushing Australia in the opening round, Fetu Samoa have demonstrated their capacity to respond and build momentum as the tournament reaches a decisive stage.
Fetu Samoa will now turn their attention to England, with next Friday’s match at WIN Stadium in Wollongong carrying major implications for their semi-final hopes. The result of Saturday’s Jillaroos versus England match will help determine the stakes heading into the final round, but Samoa’s task remains clear: deliver another strong performance when it matters most. A maiden appearance in the Women’s Rugby League World Cup semi-finals would mark a historic achievement for the nation. Friday night’s result has strengthened that pursuit and demonstrated the attacking depth and individual talent within Pritchard’s squad. The challenge now is to carry that momentum into Round 3, where the margin for error will be considerably smaller. For Fetu Samoa, the 76-0 victory is a record worth celebrating. More importantly, it has kept their World Cup campaign moving towards a potentially historic finish.
