ENGLAND are out of the women’s World Cup.
With a wind behind them, Fetu Samoa grabbed a 12-0 lead by halftime at WIN Stadium on the back of a ‘true hat-trick’ by winger Freedom Crichton Ropati, each try unconverted.
The famous wind sock on the stadium hill indicated England had a big environmental advantage after halftime.
But instead of scoring first, Stuart Barrow’s side conceded first, to Mercedez Taulelei-Siala on the other wing.
Another conversion was missed but at 16-0 Frank Pritchard’s team had a foot in the semi-finals.
England had a sniff of a chance, however, when yet another winger – Evie Cousins – was tackled short but not held. Referee Chris Kendall immediately ruled play-on and we finally had a successful conversion from Isabel Rowe.
However, with the margin narrowed to 10, Samoa took the wind out of England’s sails – in not from the sock on the hill with a Pauline Piliae-Rasabale penalty goal in the 51st minute.
Fanua Rimoni made sure of it by pushing ip in support to score between the posts with four to go. Samao 24 England 6, Fetu into the semis for the first time.
SAMOA 24 (Crichton Ropati 3 Taulelei-Siala Rimoni tries Piliae-Rasabale 2 goals) beat ENGLAND 6 (Cousin try Rowe goal) at WIN Stadium.
Teams:
ENGLAND: Fran Goldthorp (North Queensland); Anna Davies (Wigan), Georgia Wilson (Wigan), Connie Boyd (Leeds), Evie Cousins (Leeds); Isabel Rowe (Wigan), Georgia Roche (Newcastle); Mary Coleman (Wigan), Keara Bennett (Leeds), Liv Wood (York), Lucy Murray (Leeds), Hollie-Mae Dodd (Canberra), Megan Williams (Wigan).
Reserves: Jodie Cunningham (capt, St Helens), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens), Hope Millard (Canterbury), Lucie Sams (Wigan), Jenna Foubister (Wigan), Ruby Bruce (Leeds), Molly Jones (Wigan).
SAMOA: Destiny Mino-Sinapati (Gold Coast); Mercedez Taulelei-Siala (Newcastle), Monica Tagoai (Canterbury), Tyra Ekepati (St George Illawarra), Freedom Crichton Ropati (Parramatta); Evania Isa’ako (Gold Coast), Pauline Piliae-Rasabale (Gold Coast); Annetta Nu’uausala (NZ Warriors), Mary-Jane Taito (Canterbury), Laikha Clarke (Gold Coast), Leilani Wilson (Canterbury), Ivana Lolesio (Gold Coast), Tavarna Papalii (Brisbane).
Reserves: Jetaya Faifua (Wests Tigers), Fanua Rimoni (Gold Coast), Jaydika Tafua (Cronulla), Christabelle Onesemo-Tuilaepa (NZ Warriors), Jasmine Fogavini (Gold Coast), Christian Pio (Wests Tigers), Evelyn Roberts (Canterbury), Anastasia Leatupue (Wests Tigers), Amanii Misa (North Queensland)
Referee: Chris Kendall
