Toa Sāmoa will face Australia in the Rugby League World Cup semi-final in Sydney on Sunday, and Junior Paulo says the memory of the 2022 final still burns for the players who were there. Australia beat Sāmoa 30-10 in that title match, and now the same rivalry returns with a place in the final on the line.
That is why this meeting is being searched now. Paulo, who is free to lead Sāmoa after avoiding suspension over his tackle on Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, framed the game as both a chance to move on and a chance to draw fuel from what happened before. He said losing a grand final like that would still hurt anyone involved, but added that this squad is keen on moving forward and does not expect the past to become a distraction.
Sāmoa have made one change to the side that has carried them into the semi-final. Ronald Volkman comes in at five-eighth after Chanel Harris-Tavita was ruled out with a hamstring injury, while Benaiah Ioelu starts at hooker and Jazz Tevaga shifts to the bench. Deine Mariner also returns to the interchange after recovering from a hamstring injury. On the other side, Australia have named the same starting side that beat the Cook Islands 66-6, with Reece Walsh keeping the fullback role and James Tedesco again on the bench.
The shape of the contest is what gives Samoa Vs Australia its bite. Sāmoa are arriving with emotional weight on their backs, still carrying the scar of that final, while Australia come in settled and unchanged after a dominant win. Kevin Walters said Sāmoa were very impressive in a physical battle last weekend and warned that Australia are in for a tough contest on Sunday night. He also called it a great occasion in front of a full house at Allianz Stadium, which only raises the stakes for a side trying to force an upset.
That makes the question less about whether Sāmoa are motivated and more about whether they can turn that motivation into a result against a team that already knows how to beat them on the biggest stage. Paulo called the chance to be part of history a privilege and said an upset is possible. Sunday will show whether that belief is enough, or whether Australia’s familiarity and form carry them back toward the final once again.
