RUGBY WORLD CUP: South Africa 13, Samoa 5

 

My goodness, what a match! For the last 15 minutes we sat on the edge of our seats (and often standing and shouting) as the Samoan rugby team did everything to breach the South African defence.

I watched this amazing game in the mini movie theatre my brother-in-law has built in Foxton, New Zealand. We had the big screen all to ourselves.

This was a pulsating match to watch. South Africa were ahead 13-0 mid way through the first half. They were in control. They were pushing the Samoans in the scrum and stealing lineout ball. It wasn’t looking good for the Islanders.

But Samoa upped their game in the second half. They began to hold in the scrums, began winning their own ball in the lineouts and began to find little chinks in the solid South African defence.

The last quarter was as an exciting period of play you would find in any test match. Equal to the Ireland-Australia encounter. It was not to be for Samoa South Africa just holding on, winning the game, and sending an exhausted but proud Samoan team out of the tournament. It was the stuff that makes this game the best football game in the world.