Samoa national rugby league team

Infobox rugby league nation
Name = Samoa
Badge =
Badge_size = 100px
Nickname =
Association = Samoan Rugby League
Region = Oceania
Coach = flagicon|New Zealand John Akland
Captain = flagicon|Samoa Nigel Vagana
Most caps =
Top scorer =
Home Stadium = National Stadium
RLIF Rank = 12th
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_thindkbluesides|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=FF0000|body1=FF0000|rightarm1=FF0000|shorts1=191970|socks1=FFFFFF
First game = flagicon|USA USA 6 - 14 Western Samoa flagicon|Samoa (Sydney, Australia; February 1996)
Largest win = flagicon|New Caledonia New Caledonia 0 - 76 Samoa flagicon|Samoa (Apia, Samoa; 20 October 2004
Largest loss = flagicon|Australia Australia 66 - 10 Samoa flagicon|Samoa (Watford, England; 11 November 2000)
World cup apps = 1
World cup first = 2000
World cup best = Quarter-finals, 2000 The Samoa rugby league team has been participating in international rugby league competition since 1988. From 1988 to 1997 this team was known as the Western Samoa rugby league team. This team is not to be confused with the American Samoa national rugby league team.

=History=

Western Samoa has participated in the Pacific Cup (1988-1996), World Sevens (1994, 1995) and Super League World Nines (1996, 1997) competitions. Samoa has participated in the Pacific Cup (since 1998), World Cup (since 2000), World Sevens (2003) and Pacific Rim (2004) competitions. That Samoan team had the benefit of ex-All Blacks John Schuster and Va'aiga Tuigamala in their backline. When rugby union went professional players such as Apollo Perelini and Fereti Tuilagi left rugby league to return to the 15-man game.

2008 Rugby League World Cup qualifying

Samoa played in the Pacific Pool of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers. They beat the Cook Islands and Fiji, but lost to Tonga. On a points difference, Samoa came in third and had to play USA in the Repecharge Semi Final. Samoa won this match 42-10 and then played Lebanon on 14th November 2007 in the Repecharge Final to see who would take the 10th and final World Cup place. Samoa came out eventual winners of the 10th and final 2008 Rugby League World Cup place beating Lebanon 38-16 at the Chris Moyles Stadium, Featherstone.

2008 World Cup squad

"As of 8 October, 2008"

International results

* Samoa def. Lebanon 38-16 (14 November 2007)
* Samoa def. USA 42-10 (9 November 2007)
* England def. Samoa 38-14 (5 November 2006)
* France def. Samoa 28-6 (29 October 2006)
* Tonga def. Samoa 18-10 (22 October 2006)
* Samoa def. Fiji 30-28 ( 2006)
* Samoa def. Cook Islands 46- ( 2006)
* Tokelau def. Samoa 34-28 (05 March 2006)
* Fiji def. Samoa 26-4 (23 February 2006)
* Tonga def. Samoa 34-20 (7 October 2005)
* Samoa def. Tonga 52-18 (23 October 2004)
* New Zealand Maoris def. Samoa 70-10 (21 October 2004)
* Samoa def. New Caledonia 76-0 (20 October 2004)
* Samoa def. Niue 36-18 (19 October 2004)
* Australia def. Samoa 66-10 (11 November 2000)
* Samoa def. Scotland 20-12 (5 November 2000)
* Samoa def. New Zealand Maoris 21-16 (1 November 2000)
* Ireland def. Samoa 30-16 (28 October 2000)
* Fiji def. Samoa 30-4 (1999)
* Samoa def. Fiji 6-1 (1999)
* Fiji def. Samoa 22-16 (1999)
* Tonga def. Samoa 24-8 (1998)
* Tonga def. Samoa 24-22 (1998)
* Samoa def. Niue 24-10 (1998)
* Samoa drew with Tonga 20-20 (1998)

Western Samoa

* New Zealand Maoris def. Western Samoa 39-16 (1996)
* Tonga def. Western Samoa (1996)
* Wales def. Western Samoa 22-10 (13 October 1995)
* Western Samoa def. France 56-10 (12 October 1995)
* Western Samoa def. Tonga 18-14 (31 October 1992)
* Western Samoa def. Australian Aborigines 44-26 (28 October 1992)
* Western Samoa def Niue 41-28 (1992)
* Western Samoa def. Cook Islands 66-12 (1992)
* Western Samoa def. Tonga 20-12 (1992)
* Western Samoa def. Fiji 32-18 (1992)
* Western Samoa def. New Zealand Maoris 26-18 (1990)
* Western Samoa def. Australian Aborigines 26-16 (1990)
* New Zealand Maoris def. Western Samoa 19-16 (1988)
* Western Samoa def. Tonga 40-30 (1988)
* Western Samoa def. Tokelau 40-18 (1988)
* Western Samoa def. Cook Islands 52-16 (1988)

uper League World Nines results

* Western Samoa def. USA 30-1 (1997)
* Western Samoa def. USA 14-6 (1996)

tudent results

* Western Samoa def. USA 82-8 (1996)

External links

* [http://www.rugbyleague.org/index.php?showforum=210 Samoa Rugby League Fans Forums - RugbyLeague.org]
* [http://www.rlwc.com/ 2008 Rugby League World Cup Site]