England and Samoa will get the Rugby League World Cup off to a cracking start in what could be one of the most important games of the group stage.
Zero Tackle will have live coverage of the clash from 12:30am (AEDT) on Sunday, October 16.
Refresh the page for live score updates and commentary below.
| Match time | Fulltime | |
| England | vs | Samoa |
60 | Score | 6 |
| 10 | Tries | 1 |
| 8 | Conversions | 1 |
| 2 | Penalty goals | 0 |
| 0 | Field goals | 0 |
England 60 (Tries: Jack Welsby, Dominic Young [2], Kallum Watkins, Herbie Farnworth, Elliott Whitehead [2], Tommy Makinson, George Williams, Thomas Burgess Conversions: Tommy Makinson 8/10 Penalty goal: Tommy Makinson 2/2) lead Samoa 6 (Try: Izack Tago, Conversion: Stephen Crichton 1/1)
2:44am (AEDT)
Victor Radley the broadcast man of the match, but it realistically could have gone to a host of players there for England. George Williams and Jack Welsby were sensational, as were their entire forward back.
All up, a commanding performance for England which likely confirms they finish at the top of Group A and avoid Tonga until the semi-finals.
That's going to just about do us here on Zero Tackle for England and Samoa.
We will be back ahead of the 5:30am (AEDT) kick-off between Australia and Fiji later this morning.
Bye for now.
2:36am (AEDT)
That is so, so very soft. Thomas Burgess this time just runs through the defence and crashes over to score.
Makinson converts and that'll be that, with 60 points on the board as the siren sounds.
2:33am (AEDT)
They are over again. England are cruising here and Samoa have just lost all cohesion at both ends of the park. It's George Williams this time who bursts over, and England have scored five tries in the last 12 minutes.
Makinson misses this time.
2:29am (AEDT)
This is an absolute car crash from Samoa. The kick-off goes out on the full and now Tommy Makinson is over for a try. We are going to the video referee with an on-field call of try after a George Williams grubber put him over.
It looks like there is a question over whether Stephen Crichton was taken out in back play, but this will be awarded.
2:26am (AEDT)
Well, that was a very obvious forward pass, but Ashley Klein lets it go as England expand down the left-hand side and Elliott Whitheead will run away to score. Great inside ball from Tommy Makinson after burning the defence.
Makinson converts again and England are within a converted try of 50.
2:24am (AEDT)
England are in again! It's Elliott Whitehead barging over with the video referee handing out confirmation after a review. This is quickly getting ugly for Samoa, who also have a trio of injury issues.
Makinson converts.
2:18am (AEDT)
It's raining tries now. Herbie Farnworth crashes over for a try to cap what has been an outstanding performance for the Brisbane Broncos' centre.
Makinson converts again and this is starting to get a bit ugly now for Samoa.
2:16am (AEDT)
Makinson slots the penalty goal after that late shot from Milford.
2:15am (AEDT)
More problems for Samoa here. Anthony Milford with a late tackle and he is sent to the sin bin for a ten-minute cooldown by referee Ashley Klein.
2:13am (AEDT)
Samoa put the ball down again on the attack here. Leniu this time with the Pacific Island nation really struggling to put any pressure on the English defence.
2:10am (AEDT)
Samoa all over the place with the attack and Josh Papalii drops a pass that he was never expecting to receive.
2:08am (AEDT)
Samoa now on the attack. Suaalii close off the scrum, then Taupau up the middle. Su'A pokes his nose through on the right, then Leniu held in front of the posts as England scramble. England then give away a penalty.
2:06am (AEDT)
Right then, we are finally back.
England currently working the ball out of their own end after a shocking finish to a set from Samoa.
Young then drops it coming out of his own end, and, after a bit of push and shove, Samoa will have a big chance to attack.
2:01am (AEDT)
Well, we have missed a try, and that might be the one that seals the deal for England, with Kallum Watkins adding to the scoreboard for England.
Tommy Makinson converts.
1:59am (AEDT)
The game is indeed continuing, but the broadcast feed has dropped for now. We will keep you posted on any score updates in the meantime.
1:53am (AEDT)
Bad news here for Samoa. Hamlin-Uele and Tabua-Fidow are already likely gone for the day, and now it's Tyrone May in a very bad way with a possibly knee injury judging by where the traiers are putting their attention. He will be taken off on the stretcher once stabilised here, so Samoa about to be down to 14 players.
1:48am (AEDT)
England into some strong defence to start the second half as they are kept in their own half, and it's Suaalii with a massive run back from the kick. Samoa now pushing onto the attack with a good run through Crichton on the right, then it's Taupau. Luai runs short side on the last, but Tuilagi is tackled and England will have the ball out of their own corner.
1:45am (AEDT)
Samoa to kick-off the second half as we get back underway in Newcastle.
1:33am (AEDT)
And that will be that for the first half here in Newcastle.
England have opened the World Cup with an excellent first half, running on three tries, but a late fight back from Samoa will send them to the dressing rooms with some momentum.
Be sure to stick around, and we will be back in about 15 minutes for the second half here on Zero Tackle.
1:30am (AEDT)
Samoa on the attack again here. Joseph Suaalii almost over with some great stepping and swerving, but he is pulled down a metre out. A grubber goes through on the last from Milford with Stephen Crichton attempting to ground the ball.
Up to the video referee. It went up as a no try with Ashley Klein asking for a knock on to be confirmed, but there may well be downward pressure here. Adam Gee with a difficult decision to make, but it's red lights. No try.
That could have gone either way.
1:28am (AEDT)
England away again! No. Ashley Klein calls them back for a forward pass.
1:27am (AEDT)
Samoa now looking to play expansive with a couple of passes and then an Anthony Milford offload. They are 25 out on the last in a set after points, with Milford kicking for the corner, but no challenge on the chase and Tommy Makinson will fly to take it for England.
1:25am (AEDT)
Well, that sums up Samoa so far. Joseph Suaalii straight through the line, stepping and swerving, but then he puts the ball down just in front of the fullback Tomkins.
But Samoa will get onto the board. England go the other way, Izack Tago picks off an intercept and races 60 metres to put some crucial points on the board ahead of halftime.
Stephen Crichton converts.
1:23am (AEDT)
One-way traffic here as England go back onto the attack. This time a Welsby kick is picked off by Brian To'o, but Samoa will have to truck it out of their own ten-metre zone again.
1:18am (AEDT)
Things looking shaky here for Samoa as they make another error and invite Samoa back onto the attack again. Left they come from Welsby to Williams and onto Farnworth who is within a metre or two of the tryline.
Play broke down on the fifth, but then they swing it back to that dangerous right-hand side and Dominic Young flies in for his second try off another excellent assist from Welsby!
Makinson misses this time from the sideline.
1:16am (AEDT)
Still a fair away off with 12 and a half minutes to go, but Samoa desperately need the halftime break. England back over halfway and Welsby with a nice low kick down to the corner as Suaalii brings it back.
1:14am (AEDT)
And England are in again! The floodgates are threatening to break open here as Dominic Young goes streaking away to score his first international try for England.
Welsby, the first try-scorer, takes it down the short side and throws a long ball to Young who races away.
Makinson converts.
1:12am (AEDT)
Makinson converts for England.
1:10am (AEDT)
England again making easy metres out of their own end. Great metres from Kallum Watkins, then George Williams who breaks the line, passes away to Jack Welsby and he will score the first try of the World Cup as he goes streaking away.
1:08am (AEDT)
Samoa with a penalty to clear out of their own end and they will come onto the attack at the back end of this set. Big runs from Junior Paulo and then Danny Levi off a quick play the ball. Final play from 15 metres out, Milford steps and grubbers, but Welsby comes away with it for England.
1:06am (AEDT)
So, Braden Hamlin-Uele has done a calf injury. He is sitting on the bench with an ice pack on and looking fairly upset with proceedings.
England have been the dominant team here, but only up 2-0. They are currently bringing it out of their own end as well with Samoa finishing that set turning it over in a good spot.
1:04am (AEDT)
So then, a penalty for England as they bring the ball out of their own end. That will bring the Three Lions onto the attack, but a Jack Welsby grubber on the last finds Stephen Crichton who streaks back to halfway in the other direction.
1:01am (AEDT)
Samoa now building some pressure, and they receive a six again inside the 20-metre zone. Jarome Luai tried to play on the left-hand side, but he puts the ball down.
Luai claims it was ripped out, and Samoa are going to make a captain's challenge. That'll be an absolute waste though, with this clearly being dropped.
12:58am (AEDT)
The very next play, England go through Thomas Burgess who reaches out through a tackle and tries to slam the ball down, but the video referee Adam Gee will confirm he has knocked that on.
Two bombed tries in 12 minutes for the home side.
12:57am (AEDT)
A little bit of a nothing set for Samoa, then England win a six again before Radley makes half a break. Hill is within a few meters of the line on the second play, before Sam Tomkins is held up over the line as Junior Paulo leads a desperate scramble for Samoa.
It would appear Danny Levi is down with an injury but will be okay to continue, although Braden Hamlin-Uele has gone off.
12:55am (AEDT)
England almost crash over through Burgess, then they shift left and Tomkins takes on the line, tackled about five metres out. Burgess has a second charge at the back end of this set, before a very poor last play sees Welsby run to the line, grubber to no one and Samoa will come away with it.
12:53am (AEDT)
It's all happening here. England with a little chip kick over the top from George Williams at the end of this set, before Joseph Suaalii knocks on trying to pick up the kick. England will have a full set off the scrum from about 20 metres out here.
12:52am (AEDT)
Better territory for Samoa this time after a kick goes straight down the throat of Joseph Suaalii who comes charging back. A six again means Toa Samoa are over halfway on Tackle 2. Braden Hamlin-Uele with a couple of big runs in this set, but an absolute mess on the last tackle for Samoa sees Herbie Farnworth bring it back from an Anthony Milford rushed kick and break a few tackles.
12:49am (AEDT)
England take the shot at penalty goal to get first points on the board, and Tommy Makinson puts it over with ease. First points on the board.
12:46am (AEDT)
England showing a bit of expansion out of their own end as Dominic Young makes half a break, goes inside 30 and then wins a six again. The home side will come inside 20 though the middle, then it's Williams for Whitehead who almost bursts through the line. Inside ten, and on the last they come last through Williams with a grubber for Herbie Farnworth to score!
Up to the video referee we go. Going up as a no try. Replays will show that Farnworth has dropped the ball attempting to score, but a change of direction from Anthony Milford to take out Elliott Whitehead will rule a penalty for England.
12:43am (AEDT)
A good start for England then and Samoa will have to bring it out of their own end, struggling to get through the English defence early on. An early kick from Milford this time goes out about 20 out from their own line to turn the ball around in a decent spot.
12:41am (AEDT)
And away we go! Tommy Makinson kicks us off and it's young gun Joseph Suaalii who fields the kick-off and brings it back on his own. A physical start to this game with England up for the challenge in defence, before Anthony Milford kicks from just shy of halfway and Makinson brings it back.
12:39am (AEDT)
And here we go! Kick-off has arrived for the 2022 Rugby League World Cup. England to kick us off.
12:35am (AEDT)
Time for the Samoan Siva Tau. Goosebumps.
12:32am (AEDT)
We are finally up and running. Teams making their way onto the park, so it'll be national anthems and then kick-off to follow.
12:30am (AEDT)
So, we have now arrived at the scheduled time for kick-off and you'd swear it was State of Origin because we might as well crack out the kick-off bingo.
Believe the power outage is continuing in the stadium.
12:25am (AEDT)
Major problems inside the stadium here as they go through the opening ceremony. Understand it's a power outage which is currently slowing things down.
Looks like it will be a delayed kick-off.
12:00am (AEDT)
England and Samoa have confirmed their teams for the clash.
England
1. Sam Tomkins 2. Tommy Makinson 3. Kallum Watkins 4. Herbie Farnworth 14. Dominic Young 6. Jack Welsby 7. George Williams 8. Thomas Burgess 9. Michael McIlorum 18. Chris Hill 11. Elliott Whitehead 20. Mike McMeeken 13. Victor Radley
Interchange: 10. Luke Thompson 15. Morgan Knowles 16. Matty Lees 17. Mike Cooper
Samoa
1. Joseph Suaalii 18. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 3. Izack Tago 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To'o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Anthony Milford 8. Josh Papalii 9. Danny Levi 10. Junior Paulo 12. Jaydn Su'A 13. Josh Aloiai 24. Braden Hamlin-Uele
Interchange: 14. Tyrone May 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Martin Taupau 22. Kelma Tuilagi
RELATED: Every Week 1 teamlist for the Rugby League World Cup
11:45pm (AEDT)
Hello and welcome to Zero Tackle's live coverage of the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, with England to tackle Samoa in a high stakes opening game.
In a group which also features France and Greece, there is little doubt this game will decide who finishes at the top of Group A and likely avoids Tonga in the quarter-finals, with the Pacific Island nation in red the heavy favourites to top Group D.
We will have the final teams for you shortly.