Samoa give Rugby World Cup favourites Ireland a huge scare in warm-up clash

Ireland survived a massive fright from Samoa in rainy Bayonne to edge a gripping Rugby World Cup warmup 17-13.

Samoa led at halftime 10-7 and Ireland didn't regain the lead until the 64th minute thanks to a rolling maul try.

Samoa had late shots at the win but a penalty touch-finder went the wrong side of the corner flag and an attacking throw-in was knocked on.

The Six Nations champion scraped to set a new Irish streak of 13 wins dating to last year.

They were rattled at the set-pieces and breakdowns and the attack was frequently shaken by rugged Samoan defence.

They also didn't escape unscathed injury-wise: Prop Cian Healy pulled up with an apparent right calf injury and had to be carried off.

Ireland's World Cup squad is named on Monday.

“Samoa got stuck in and made us really, really fight for the win and we can be happy for the way we ground it out,” halfback Conor Murray said.

“We dug deep for each other. It was a tough day.”

Ireland set up the clash in Bayonne as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup they will go into as world No. 1 and favourite. But Samoa almost ruined the agenda.

Ireland overhauled the team which routed England last weekend but had to send on James Ryan, Peter O’Mahony, Garry Ringrose and Ross Byrne to save the day.

Samoa won this fixture once before, way back in 1996, and came closer than anyone in the last 13 months to upending the Irish.

The effort was sure to give the Manu a huge confidence boost going into a World Cup pool with Argentina, England, Japan and Chile.

“Can't fault the effort from our boys but Ireland are the No. 1 team for a reason,” Samoa prop Michael Alaalatoa said.

“They were clinical when they needed to be. A lot to be proud of from our side but at the same time a lot to learn.”

The underdog almost struck the first blow but Ed Fidow was tackled into touch by Stuart McCloskey.

Ireland scored first when Mack Hansen took a cross field kick on the wing and fed fullback Jimmy O'Brien on the inside to score. Jack Crowley added the extras.

Samoa finally replied in the 36th after Duncan Paia'aua took a McCloskey pass to his face, regathered and sprinted 75 metres for the try.

Lima Sopoaga, the former All Black making his test debut for Samoa, converted and added a penalty on halftime from a dominant scrum. Ireland trailed at halftime for the first time since its last loss in July last year in New Zealand.

Another Sopoaga penalty for 13-7 followed nine phases to the Irish posts.

Moments later, Ireland's Murray hatched a blindside try, thanks to a kind bounce from a chip ahead by wing Jacob Stockdale, a late replacement for Keith Earls.

Crowley couldn't convert from the sideline.

Ireland then used a penalty from a collapsed maul to set up an attacking lineout, which it expertly mauled for a Rob Herring try. Ireland led 17-13 and Crowley's attempted conversion was charged down by Jonathan Taumateine.

Ireland tried to put the result away but Ryan was turned over on the tryline by Neria Fomai. Samoa finished strong but not as clinical as the Irish.