Samoa warn England and Marcus Smith that dead rubber is their World Cup final
“These are the games that we live for. If we win we automatically qualify for the next World Cup so it’s massive for us. We want to beat England more than anything"
England have been warned that Samoa are gunning for them and fullback Marcus Smith in what they see as their World Cup final.
With Steve Borthwick’s team already through to the knockout stages and Samoa unable to advance, there would appear to be little riding on the Lille clash a week today.
But Samoa fullback Duncan Paia’aua insists it is a contest of huge significance to Samoa and seeing Fiji beat England last month has his tiny island nation fired up.
“These are the games that we live for,” said the Toulon star. “If we win we automatically qualify for the next World Cup so it’s massive for us.
“We want to beat England more than anything. It’s like a cup final for us. We’re an underdog in this tournament and everyone loves an underdog story.”
England are heavy favourites but it is just a month since Fiji made history by beating them at Twickenham - a result celebrated as much in Samoa as it was 700 miles across the Pacific.
“Us Pacific islanders, we might go to war on the field but we’re always backing each other,” said Paia’aua.
“We’re not lucky enough to have all the resources the tier one nations have. What we do have is a lot of pride for our country.”
England have a big selection call to make at fullback given Smith lit up Lille wearing 15 for the first time last weekend.
His two tries and two assists were achieved against modest opposition in Chile yet he offered a glimpse of the attacking potential England have for so long kept hidden.
“He played amazingly at fullback,” admitted Paia’aua. “He’s a natural runner and if you give him some freedom he’s going to do something special. If he starts at fullback again we’ll give him a little bit.”
Borthwick must decide whether to remove the shackles for a second game or to use the dead rubber as a more conservative dress rehearsal for their likely reunion with Fiji in the last eight.
English rugby’s player union has blasted the “unacceptable” treatment of the latest batch of professionals to be made redundant without warning.
Championship winners Jersey Reds went bust on Thursday with the island’s squad thrown on the job market and left largely to their own devices.
Their plight was highlighted by centre Dan Barnes who claims he faces immediate eviction as he has no means of paying his rent.
“Waking up this morning to landlord turning up,” he tweeted. “No rent paid and facing eviction immediately. No pay cheque, no money. Bills taken out. No job. Friends for life in pieces. How did this happen in 24hours!?”
Hundreds of players from Worcester, Wasps and London Irish were left unemployed when their Premiership clubs folded last season.
Christian Day, general secretary of the Rugby Players Association, says this is just the latest example of the current rugby eco-system “failing”.
He added: “Players and staff have been left with their lives turned upside down overnight. It is unacceptable that this has again happened with no prior notice to players.
“Players should be valued as partners in the game that they love and invest so much of their lives into. It is clear that there must be a better support system in place for all elite players which must be rectified as a key part of any new funding agreement."
