Kiwis steal victory over stunning Samoa

The New Zealand Kiwis have scrapped a 14-12 victory over Toa Samoa with a late try in front of 16,912 at Toll Stadium in Whangarei.

Samoa has sparked International Rugby League alive with their Four Nations performances nothing short of spectacular. Sadly, the results haven't fallen their way, but their pride and passion is something other nations could take leads from.

Tautau Moga opened the scoring in the 6th minute as he bolted 85 metres downfield courtesy of an intercept pass from New Zealand's Peta Hiku.

The Kiwis returned serve minutes later as Kieran Foran surged over as New Zealand mounted a raid with their first visit inside the Samoan 10 metre zone. At the 10 minute mark, New Zealand led, 6-4.

Ben Roberts had a ‘rocks-and-diamonds' game for Samoa with several key moments turning the contest. At the 17th minute Roberts shone bright as his pin-point grubber caught Jason Nightingale short to set up Daniel Vidot's try. Samoa reclaimed the lead, 8-6, which they took into the half time break.

Despite being on the wrong side of the ledger, Man of the Match, Joseph Leilua put on a clinic and rewarded with a second half try. He managed to fend away Shaun Kenny-Dowall to stroll over with ease in the western corner. Samoa extended their lead to 12-6 with Tim Lafai's conversions all unsuccessful from the sideline.

Samoa looked promising in their attempt to off the Kiwis inside the final 10 minutes, however, it wasn't to be as Shaun Kenny-Dowall broke the Samoa's heart. The Samoans dejected as the Kiwis stole the points to claim the first Test Match victory in Whangarei.

Next week, New Zealand will meet England at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium in a match that could be a preview of the Four Nations Final. Meanwhile, Samoa will travel to WIN Stadium in Wollongong as they face Australia.

NEW ZEALAND (14)
Tries: Kieran Foran, Jason Nightingale, Shaun Kenny-Dowall
Field Goals:
Conversions: Shaun Johnson (1/3)
Penalty Goals:

TOA SAMOA (12)
Tries: Tautau Moga, Daniel Vidot, Joseph Leilua
Field Goals:
Conversions: Timoteo Lafai (0/3)
Penalty Goals:

TEAM NEWS: NZ Kiwis - One change on the extended bench with Bodene Thompson dropping out. Otherwise, unchanged and take the field 1-17

TEAM NEWS: Tautau Moga starts on the wing in place of Winterstein, Sauaso Sue promoted to hooker as Pita Godinet shifts onto bench. Dominique Peyroux IN for Sene-Lefao.

Both teams are out onto the field with the National Anthems of Samoa and New Zealand being performed. This will be followed by a Samoan war dance and the New Zealand Haka.

1: We are UNDERWAY at Toll Stadium as Samoa kicks off to give the Kiwis first use of possession.

1: Good opening set from the Kiwis, Foran puts up a chip kick on last tackle and Tim Simona does brilliantly under pressure to take the ball.

2: VIDEO REFEREE for the Kiwis, Nightingale has NO TRY. Looking at strip after he galloped away on a left side raid.

3: NO TRY for Jason Nightingale. Tim Simona saves the day with a good covering tackle. It's possession with Samoa as the ball was ruled to be a knock on.

4: UNFORCED ERROR TOA SAMOA
Sauaso Sue makes an unforced error.
Sauaso Sue allowed the last tackle kick from Ben Roberts to bounce and the deflection comes up off his hands and goes forward. Change over for the Kiwis deep in their own half

6: TRY TOA SAMOA
Scored by Tautau Moga. Kick to come.
Tautau Moga takes an intercept as Peta Hiku attempted a late offload, he bolted almost untouched 85 metres to score. The Samoans first on the board with a brilliant turn of play.

7: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION TOA SAMOA
Conversion attempt by Timoteo Lafai unsuccessful.
Tim Lafai with the conversion attempt is unable to add the extras as he hooks it into the wind left of posts.

9: First penalty of the game goes to the Kiwis, Sue concedes for holding down in the ruck. Kiwis kick for touch and attack 40m out from the Samoan try line.

10: VIDEO REFEREE for the Kiwis, Kieran Foran is claiming! It was play on, but going upstairs to review the play.

10: TRY NEW ZEALAND
Scored by Kieran Foran. Kick to come.
Kieran Foran has reached out as the Kiwis put a quick fire play on at the posts. Foran stretching out as the Kiwis first points of the afternoon

11: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson successful.
Shaun Johnson with the conversion from beside the uprights slots the points to give the Kiwis the lead

13: A poor set from the Kiwis finishes with a 20 metre tap for the Samoans. Foran is struggling after the long kick with a possible hamstring concern.

14: Change over is ruled as the last tackle messy play doesn't quite come off for the Samoans. Kiwis with possession in their own half after. Liu almost getting the ball away for their second try

15: Shaun Johnson puts up a towering bomb, it's allowed to bounce and it rockets over the dead ball line. Samoa comes up with a 20 metre tap.

15: UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND
Kevin Proctor makes an unforced error.
Kevin Proctor had hands in the ruck and Tim Simona is very lucky not to have it called against him. Samoa with a scrum feed 30m off their own try line.

16: Penalty awarded to Samoa, Adam Blair holds down too long. Roberts finds the sideline and it's a full set 40m out from the Kiwis try line.

17: TRY TOA SAMOA
Scored by Daniel Vidot. Kick to come.
Daniel Vidot jumps on a brilliant kick from Ben Roberts as he caught the Kiwi outside backs short. The well placed kick gives the Samoan's second try

19: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION TOA SAMOA
Conversion attempt by Timoteo Lafai unsuccessful.
Tim Lafai is on the western sideline with another difficult kick, again it's unsuccessful as the Samoans hold their lead over the Kiwis

20: Zero tackle ruled, Kevin Proctor jumps on the last tackle kick. Kiwis with possession just short of the half way line.

21: Penalty called as Manu Vatuvei gets pulled over the sideline by Moga. Kiwis attack 20 metres out from the Samoan try line now.

22: Kiwis crumble on last tackle, Samoa defence brilliant to hold out the raids. Johnson attempting to get the play moving with a grubber kick, but the long passes are lost over the sideline.

24: Penalty to the Samoans, they advance 15 metres short of the try line. Second effort in the tackle from the Kiwis

25: Kiwis clean up after Josh McGuire puts in a grubber kick, he has been good this afternoon… and now a penalty for a second effort again. NZ bring it 10 metres short of half way with a quick tap

26: Penalty to the Kiwis, strip is ruled against Samoa for a multiple-man tackle. NZ attack 30m out

27: Daniel Vidot saves the day, cleans up Johnson's grubber kick as he looked to chase through for his own try. Samoa's defence is holding brilliantly so far. Line drop out now for the Kiwis to give them a repeat set.

29: UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND
Manu Vatuvei makes an unforced error.
Manu Vatuvei is unable to take the quick tap ons as Foran linked with Mannering just before he was cleaned up with a solid tackle by Joseph Leilua. Samoa with possession now

30: Penalty to Samoa, count is 4-3 in favour of NZ. Laying in the ruck the call against the Kiwis as the Samoans attack 30m out

31: UNFORCED ERROR TOA SAMOA
Tim Simona makes an unforced error.
Tim Simona pushed the pass on 2nd tackle and it's dropped, a scrum packs for the Kiwis 20m off their own try line.

32: VIDEO REFEREE for the Kiwis, Manu could be offside from the kick, but we have a TRY.

33: Manu Vatuvei gets RED LIGHTS as he sailed away down the eastern sideline but it's called back as Dominique Peyroux was apparently denied the opportunity to tackle with an obstruction. Harsh call agains the Kiwis, but it's now a penalty to Samoa.

35: Kyle Stanley with open space, collapses on last tackle. Points go begging, but he is down injured now as his head made contact with the hip of Peta Hiku.

36: Penalty to the Samoans, offside ruled after a brilliant take from Simona. Roberts finds the sideline and advance just short of the half way line.

38: Massive kick from the Kiwis, it's too long and a 20m tap for the Samoans.

39: Time off here, Samoa will get a scrum as the Kiwi's pass is forward. One last chance for points before half time

40: HALF TIME at Toll Stadium sees the Samoans take a 2 point lead into the sheds of the Kiwis. Samoa has been the better of the teams with their defence a key highlight in the first half.

41: Second half is UNDERWAY at Toll Stadium with the Samoan's leading New Zealand 8-6 as the Kiwis kick off.

41: Adam Blair concedes the first penalty of the new half, held down in the ruck. Ben Roberts with the kick for touch gives Samoa a shot at the Kiwis line 40m out.

42: UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND
Peta Hiku makes an unforced error.
Peta Hiku drops the short kick off the boot of Pita Godinet who jumped out of acting half. Samoa with another chance at the line with a scrum 10 metres out

43: Penalty to Samoa on the try line, against Martin Taupau for a hold down in the ruck.

44: TRY TOA SAMOA
Scored by Joseph Leilua. Kick to come.
Joseph Leilua has fended away from Dean Whare and strolled over easier in the corner as he beat four Kiwis with ease. Brilliant Samoan play to give their lead padding.

45: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION TOA SAMOA
Conversion attempt by Timoteo Lafai unsuccessful.
Tim Lafai has had a difficult day with the boot, another shot from the sideline is missed.

47: Good control from Ben Roberts, scrum for the Kiwis in their own half

49: Penalty to the Kiwis, Kevin Proctor takes the first run from the tap to give possession at the half way line

50: Penalty to NZ, Tim Simona with a flop over the top. Kiwis inside 10m

50: HELD UP! Lewis Brown charged over but stopped in goal. 4th tackle, back to the 10m line

53: Time off here with Mose Masoe penalised for pushing Adam Blair in the head after he made heavy contact on Ben Roberts. Penalty NZ.

55: Change over and Samoa just unable to finish off the great line break from Joseph Leilua, Samoa all over the Kiwis at the moment

56: Foran has failed with the short pass on the western side, zero tackle called as Samoa cleans up near half way

57: Pita Godinet looked for a hole on the try line as the last tackle call came, but he is stopped just short. Kiwis with the change over at their try line.

58: Penalty to the Kiwis, count is NZ 8 Samoa 7. Josh McGuire and co working over too long

60: UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND
Simon Mannering makes an unforced error.
Joseph Leilua rushes off the line and stopped the Kiwis attack with a brilliant one-on-one tackle on Simon Mannering. Scrum for the Samoans deep in their own half

62: Line drop out is called for the Kiwis to give them a repeat set, Samoa's defence has been solid so far this afternoon

63: VIDEO REFEREE for the Kiwis, Jason Nightingale has dived over. Looking at obstruction as the Kiwis spread to the open right side of the field.

63: TRY NEW ZEALAND
Scored by Jason Nightingale. Kick to come.
Jason Nightingale gets the GREEN LIGHTS as he dived over in the corner as he took a short, wrap around pass from Dean Whare. Lafai unable to cover up as he planted down the ball.

66: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson unsuccessful.
Shaun Johnson with the conversion attempt as pushed it across the face of goal with a host of Toa Samoa supporters mocking him as he kicked.

66: UNFORCED ERROR TOA SAMOA
Tim Simona makes an unforced error.
Tim Simona allowed the last tackle kick to bounce and after spinning several times, gets hands on the ball and it's ruled a knock on. Scrum for the Kiwis inside the Samoan half

66: UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND
Shaun Johnson makes an unforced error.
Shaun Johnson goes for a skip on the first play out of the scrum and he drops it. Samoa back in possession at the 40m line.

69: UNFORCED ERROR TOA SAMOA
Tim Simona makes an unforced error.
Tim Simona has jumped for the ball, unnecessarily and comes up with another mistake. Scrum for the Kiwis 30m out from the Samoan try line

71: Penalty to the Kiwis, high tackle against David Fa'alogo. Kiwis attacking just short of half way

72: Time off here with Lesson Ah Mau is Disneyland. His head just took the hip of Mannering. He will come off for a concussion test following the contact

74: Ben Roberts finds the sideline with a brilliant kick to the corner, scrum for the Kiwis deep in their own half.

74: UNFORCED ERROR TOA SAMOA
Ben Roberts makes an unforced error.
Ben Roberts almost come up with a scrum play intercept but then dropped it cold. Scrum again with the Kiwis 30metres off their own try line.

76: TRY NEW ZEALAND
Scored by Shaun Kenny-Dowall. Kick to come.
Shaun Kenny-Dowall has finished off a long play raid from Shaun Johnson, he linked with Foran who put Jason Nightingale into space. The Kiwis shifted away off the offload and the speed too much for the tiring Samoan defence.

77: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson unsuccessful.
Shaun Johnson, from the western sideline with the conversion nails it! Samoa not out of this just yet, but it's an up hill battle with just minutes remaining.

77: Penalty to Kiwis, strip against Pita Godinent and Josh McGuire after the failed short kick off from Tim Lafai. Kiwis on the attack inside the Samoan half.

78: Line drop out for the Kiwis, Samoa are trapped. Repeat set for Kiwis, leading 14-12

78: UNFORCED ERROR TOA SAMOA
Pita Godinet makes an unforced error.
Knock on here from a short line drop out off the boot from Tim Lafai. Scrum for the Kiwis 10m out

80: Joseph Leilua almost came up with the play to steal back the win on the siren but he is caught.

80: FULL TIME at Toll Stadium sees the New Zealand Kiwis fight back to break the hearts of the Samoans to win 12-14.