FULL TIME! That's the game. Samoa run out comfortable winners in Warrington, and in doing so book themselves a quarter-final clash with Tonga. France have some rebuilding to do before they host the 2025 tournament. Match report to come!
WHAT A TACKLE! Paulo on Mourgue! That will be on highlight reels for the next couple of weeks at least
SUCCESSFUL CHALLENGE SAMOA! Chanel Harris-Tavita makes a one-on-one strip, and it'll be a play the ball for Samoa
CAPTAIN'S CHALLENGE SAMOA! Decision of a strip penalty for France on-field
SIX AGAIN FRANCE! Samoa's defence is being tested
PENALTY FRANCE! High contact by Leniu, more attacking ball for France
France go short, and this one works out for them. It's an error from Samoa, and France have an attacking scrum 40m out from the Samoa line.
Crichton kicks it
Milford has a second! Brilliant stuff on the right edge from Samoa, the front rowers link up, and Milford finds a hole in the France defence
Big torpedo bomb from France, everyone leaves it alone and it bounces out thankfully for Samoa
Good set after points from Samoa, France working it off their own line now
Crichton slots it from in-front
Leniu has the ball knocked out of his hands in the tackle, and Chanel Harris-Tavita is on the scene to pick the ball up and stroll over
VIDEO REFEREE! A try is the on-field call for Samoa
Samoa looking to add even more points in this attacking set
César Rougé knocks the ball down, and it's a Samoa centre-field scrum
France try a short kick-off, but it doesn't provide much of a challenge for Samoa
Crichton misses only his second conversion of the night
That's a great try from Lafai! He tears through tired edge defence, and goes over on the left wing. That's the 50 up for Samoa!
PENALTY SAMOA! A clear strip from France, and Samoa back on the attack
Crichton kicks another
That was perhaps the longest video referee decision of the tournament, but Milford extends the lead for Samoa
This is quite chaotic here, the video referee can't be heard by the on-field ref Todd Smith. Samoa break through the French line, but their passes couldn't find the mark. It was then toed ahead by Samoa into the in-goal, where Mathieu Laguerre cleaned up for France. He then loses it after what was initially called as high contact, but it looks like a try for Samoa
VIDEO REFEREE! We have no try for Samoa, there's a lot to unpack here
Chanel Harris-Tavita goes for the short dropout, and Stephen Crichton takes it nicely for Samoa
DROPOUT SAMOA! Early kick from Arthur Mourgue is rushed dead by Stephen Crichton
SIX AGAIN FRANCE! Markers not square
40/20 FRANCE! Tony Gigot kicks it on the 4th, and wins his team an attacking set
Tony Gigot puts in a nice kick for his winger, but it's defused and Samoa have to work it off their own line now
PENALTY FRANCE! A strip on the first play of their set, and they'll start their set from the half-way line
After a good set, Milford nearly breaks through the line for Samoa, but loses it. France have the ball back
Samoa getting straight back into good field position
Arthur Mourgue misses the conversion from the left edge
France have points! A grubber gives a terrible bounce for Joseph Suaalii, who knocks it on, and Yaha grounds it.
DROPOUT SAMOA! César Rougé trickles in a nice kick on the last, and France will get the ball back
PENALTY FRANCE! They needed that. France was going nowhere, but Samoa have been called offside
Crichton makes it 40!
Too easy for Samoa, and this is threatening to get very ugly now. Slick hands, and Brian To'o has his second for the night
OH NO! France are offside from the kick-off. Samoa penalty on the half-way line
Crichton adds another two points for Samoa
FOUR! Taylan May crosses again off the back of some good offloading and line running from Samoa. Luai links up with Levi, who finds May on his outside.
Samoa shifting early in the set, they have some field position to work with now
Joseph Suaalii makes half a line break, but his offload can't find a man and it goes over the touchline. France will have the ball for the first team in the second half
PENALTY SAMOA! First tackle of the second half, and Samoa are already 30m out from their own line
HALF TIME! Samoa well on top, France will be feeling very frustrated to let in two late tries. Samoa should be able to wrap this up in the second half, they're looking very slick in attack.
Crichton makes it 28
On the last play of the first half, May goes over for his hat trick on the left edge thanks to some nice hands.
France go for the intercept, and they knock it on. Midfield scrum for Samoa with a minute on the clock
SIX AGAIN SAMOA! France play at the ball, and Samoa are 20m out from the French line
France are struggling for metres out of their own end
Crichton kicks his third conversion of the night
From defence to attack, Samoa just go straight through the middle. The two wingers link up to break the Franch defence, and May dives over under the posts
20m TAP SAMOA! The kick is too long from Tony Gigot, and Samoa's defence holds on somehow!
DROPOUT SAMOA! A third one now, France will be getting frustrated that they haven't scored yet
Todd Smith being very firm with the captains - just play footy boys
PENALTY FRANCE! Another attacking set for them, can they convert this into points? Before we find out, the players have some issues to sort out via some pushing and shoving
DROPOUT SAMOA! Brilliant skills from France, and they're rewarded
SIX AGAIN France! Markers not square, and France have more possession
DROPOUT SAMOA! Arthur Mourgue puts in a nice kick on the last, and Samoa are trapped in-goal. France need to continue building pressure
Alrix Da Costa is back on for France after passing his HIA
PENALTY FRANCE! High tackle, and Ligi Sao is on report for that one. France have some attacking field position now, let's see if they can use it
Joseph Suaalii's pass misses the mark, and it goes over the touchline. France hang on!
DROPOUT FRANCE! 2nd tackle kick from Jarome Luai, and Arthur Mourgue is dragged back into his own in-goal.
DROPOUT FRANCE! Samoa went all the way downfield, Milford puts in the kick and it's batted dead by France
Crichton nails it
Beautiful stuff from Samoa, this time on their left edge. A brilliant cut-out ball gives Taylan May space to stroll over
SIX AGAIN SAMOA! They're charging downfield now
Tough conversion attempt from the sideline just waves away
Great passing from the Samoa backline sets up Brian To'o to dive over on the right edge, and Samoa extend their lead
SIX AGAIN SAMOA! France will do well to hang on here
From marker, Eloi Pelissier tries to shut down the Samoan kick, but knocks the ball out of the Samoan hands. Samoa have a midfield scrum on the half-way line
Arthur Romano almost dives over in the corner, but Taylan May pushes him over the sideline
PENALTY FRANCE! It's a high tackle, but that's unlucky for Samoa. Arthur Mourgue slides into the Samoan defenders knees, and his team will have a full attacking set now
SIX AGAIN FRANCE! They're up and over the half-way line now
Alrix Da Costa is leaving the field for an injury assessment
FORWARD PASS SAMOA! They had the overlap on the left edge, but France do well to get up and close the opportunity. Now they have to fight it out of their own end
DROPOUT FRANCE! A good attacking kick from Anthony Milford forces the error from France, and Samoa have more attacking ball
The game is finding a rhythm now, Samoa and France going set for set
Samoa are really throwing the ball around in this attacking set, good defence from France though
Tony Gigot's kick goes into his own player, and Samoa are well and truly winning the territory battle now
Early kick from Samoa goes into touch deep in French territory - a good set after points for them
Crichton kicks his first conversion of the night
Jarome Luai! A perfect grubber off the back of a good set, and Lafai is over under the posts.
Jarome Luai trickles in a grubber on the last, but it's defused by France, who have to work it off their own line now
Samoa will start their first set from the half-way line after a shallow kick from France to end their set
Todd Smith blows his whistle and we're underway! France have first use of the ball
We aren't far away from kick-off here in Warrington, with Samoa and France fighting for the right to play Tonga in the quarter-finals. It's sudden death footy, so who knows what will happen? I can't wait to find out.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Todd Smith
Touch Judges: Liam Rush, Warren Turley
Video Referee: Marcus Griffiths
SAMOA MEN (62)
Tries: Tim Lafai (2), Brian To'o (2), Taylan May (4), Anthony Milford (2), Chanel Harris-Tavita
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Stephen Crichton (9/11)
Penalty Goals:
FRANCE MEN (4)
Tries: Fouad Yaha
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Arthur Mourgue (0/1)
Penalty Goals: