Rugby League World Cup as it happened: Samoa vs France live scores, updates, blog

Samoa and France will put everything on the line during the final Group A game at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, with the winner moving to the quarter-finals.

Zero Tackle will be covering the game live from 4am (AEDT) on Monday morning.

The equations for Samoa and France doesn't get much simpler than this. The winner will advance directly to the quarter-finals, while the loser's tournament will come to an end. A draw would see Samoa advance on for and against.

Refresh the page below for live scores and commentary updates.

Scoreboard

Match summary

Samoa 62 (Try: Tim Lafai [2], Brian To'o [2], Taylan May [4], Anthony Milford [2], Chanel Harris-Tavita; Conversion: Stephen Crichton 9/11) lead France 4 (Try: Fouad Yaha; Arthur Mourgue 0/1)

Updates

5:50am (AEDT)
And that'll be that. Samoa with a huge win in Warrington, and they go into the quarter-finals with all sorts of confidence.

Thanks for joining us this morning on Zero Tackle for our live coverage of the 2022 Rugby League World Cup.

5:48am (AEDT)
Jarome Luai man of the match...

In other news, Junior Paulo has just put on one of the all-time great hits. Bang!

5:45am (AEDT)
France with a late attack now to try and put a consolation try on the board. They get a penalty for a strip and will have a full set from 10 out... Provided this captain's challenge doesn't work for Samoa.

And in fact this challenge will be good. The tackle was one-on-one at the time of the strip.

5:43am (AEDT)
Samoa are in again. Milford this time with a long-range break down the right-hand side. France have really fallen apart here. Long way to go for this side ahead of hosting the tournament in 2025.

5:40am (AEDT)
Samoa just doing what they please here with the football in hand. A strong set, before a kick is taken by France who will come away from their own end.

5:38am (AEDT)
Another one here for Samoa as Chanel Harris-Tavita goes over. No one really sure how it happened after play broke down on the left, but it's another try for Samoa, with Crichton converting.

5:34am (AEDT)
That's the half-century for Samoa. They go to the left-hand side again, the defence backs off, struggles to come up and Tim Lafai goes over for his second try.

Crichton can't hit this conversion.

5:30am (AEDT)
Stephen Crichton kicks this over - that's his seventh for the evening.

5:28am (AEDT)
It has all happened here as this ball came into the Samoan attacking area.

Off a grubber kick, the ball ended up in the Samoan in goal, with Anthony Milford then coming across to try and score. The ball beats the first French defender in Garcia, before Laguerre looks to cover. He is hit by Milford seemingly shoulder first, dropping the ball before Milford reaches out and scores.

Video referee in. Laguerre has gone off for a HIA in the meantime. Foul play is cleared, which means Milford has scored.

5:22am (AEDT)
The air has really gone out of this game. Few little moments here and there, but Samoa seem to be starting to think about the bigger picture - Tonga next week - while France just haven't had the ability to impact Samoa's game plan all night on either end of the park.

5:17am (AEDT)
A good set after points for the French. Up to halfway, and Gigot will finish with a kick downtown to To'o who brings it back.

5:14am (AEDT)
France are finally on the board through Fouad Yaha! A little bit of attack is followed by a lovely grubber from Tony Gigot that takes an ugly bounce up on Joseph Suaalii. He can't get a hand on it, and Yaha is able to score.

Mourgue misses the conversion

5:09am (AEDT)
This is getting ugly now. France offside from the kick-off, a penalty for Samoa and a couple of plays later, it's Taupau, Suaalii and Crichton setting things up to the right-hand side for Brian To'o to run away and score his second.

Crichton kicking the lights out.

5:06am (AEDT)
This is getting ugly now. Samoa running away with this as Tyrone May runs over for his fourth try of the match. Hard running in the forwards, then a Jarome Luai offload to Danny Levi, who links up inside with May and he crosses again.

Crichton converts.

5:03am (AEDT)
France give away a penalty almost immediately to get the second half underway, before Joseph Suaalii pokes his nose through down the left-hand side, but the offload around the corner hits the ground and ends up over the sideline.

5:00am (AEDT)
The teams are back for the second half in Warrington. France to kick-off.

4:45am (AEDT)
Samoa with one final raid to end the first half here. Nothing early in the set, and on the last play of the half, it's a shift left that will see them score! Taylan May has a hattrick by the break, and this is getting ugly now for France.

Crichton converts.

It's 28-0 as the players head to the sheds, and Samoa have one foot in the quarter-finals.

Be sure to stick around, and we will be back shortly for the second half.

4:40am (AEDT)
Stephen Crichton converts from right in front.

4:39am (AEDT)
That is not great for France. At all. They have four sets and can't score, then let Brian To'o go straight through the middle, breaking the line before linking up with Taylan May who scores under the sticks.

4:38am (AEDT)
France now inside 20 once again, and they need to make this possession count for points in a hurry. Left they come through Gigot, but he can't find a way through. Rouge runs the next but he is held well as well, before Gigot's grubber is too long this time, and Samoa survive.

4:36am (AEDT)
A strong set from France, and yet more pressure here. A great kick, and Taylan May jumps from the field of play to take it in goal. Drop out again, and great refereeing from Todd Smith to get that call spot on.

4:34am (AEDT)
The French desperately need some points here to get back into this game, and they have a third set on the hop on the attack here. They swing it to the right, and a penalty is called for a high shot, before there is some push and shove between the two sides.

4:33am (AEDT)
No sign of a short drop out for Samoa, so it's France with it, taking Tackle 1 about 30 metres out. France looking for a way through here, then a grubber goes through to force another repeat set.

4:31am (AEDT)
France finally starting to get a little bit of possession and territory here after a Samoan error. Can't find a way through in this set, but they do force a repeat set.

4:28am (AEDT)
A short drop out from France, but not short enough to create any headaches. That brings Samoa right back onto the attack here, and a Luai grubber this time will force another goal line drop out.

4:27am (AEDT)
Samoa looking dangerous all the time here. Another break down the left, then Milford with a grubber back across the face of the posts. France have to scramble after a fumble, but manage to get the ball dead and will have a drop out ahead.

4:25am (AEDT)
Stephen Crichton with the goods on the conversion. Samoa off to a great start here, up 16-0 in 22 minutes.

4:23am (AEDT)
Superb from Samoa. Great power up the middle, then some excellently crisp passing to the left-hand side through Levi, Luai and Suaalii for Taylan May who is able to score, running around untouched.

Long way back already for France.

4:22am (AEDT)
Stephen Crichton misses this conversion just to the close side with the kick from close to the sideline.

4:20am (AEDT)
That knock on then will allow Toa Samoa back onto the attack. Some big carries bring them back onto the attack and inside the 20 halfway through the set. A set restart will then add more pressure, and that will be enough. A big shift to the right-hand side, and Brian To'o is the man to crash over off some excellent passing from the inside.

4:18am (AEDT)
Not great there from France. They get through this set in defence, but then a hand in the ruck will see a knock on called against the French.

4:17am (AEDT)
France with their first chance to attack here, and only some great sliding defence from Lafai and May out wide will stop the French winger Romano from going over for a try.

4:14am (AEDT)
France under enormous pressure here. Royce Hunt brings it back from the drop out and runs straight through the defence to the extent De Costa may have to go for a HIA. Samoa continue to the left, but good defence saves the day for France with a forward pass called in the face of the scrambling defence.

4:12am (AEDT)
France forced to play a clearing set out of their own end, and Samoa are back onto the attack here. Milford's crossfield kick does get a result, with a drop out to follow.

4:10am (AEDT)
France got back close enough to halfway, but the kicking game letting them down here. Tony Gigot's effort ends up barely making 20 metres after a deflection off what looked like his own player, and Samoa are back onto the attack.

They will swing it out to the left on the fifth, and only a Taylan May slip stops him from scoring. They stay short side on the last through Lafai, he is tackled and this will be a handover.

4:08am (AEDT)
France with some strong defence in this set, but it can't stop Milford from putting a kick out in the corner. Great set after points from Samoa.

4:06am (AEDT)
Stephen Crichton converts this one.

4:05am (AEDT)
Samoa certainly dominating the early exchanges of this game. Inside 20 they go, then it's a grubber to the left and Jarome Luai puts in a perfect grubber kick that sits up for Tim Lafai who is first over for the opening points.

4:04am (AEDT)
An early opportunity here for Samoa. They go inside 20 very quickly here through Su'A on the fourth. Not much happening on the fifth, so the last they swing it left and a Jarome Luai grubber comes to nothing from Samoa's point of view, but a good place to turn it over in the corner.

4:03am (AEDT)
Away we go! Samoa kick us off in Warrington through Joseph Suaalii and France will have first use of it, but it's not a great start for the European nation. Not a heap of metres, then a very shallow kick and Samoa are back over halfway on the first tackle.

3:59am (AEDT)
Here we go! Huge game. Winner stays, loser goes home.

3:57am (AEDT)
Anthems done, and it's time for the Siva Tau!

3:52am (AEDT)
The teams are making their way out onto the ground in Warrington.

3:35am (AEDT)
Here are the final teams.

Samoa
1. Joseph Suaalii 2. Taylan May 4. Stephen Crichton 25. Tim Lafai 5. Brian To'o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Anthony Milford 10. Junior Paulo 9. Danny Levi 15. Royce Hunt 11. Ligi Sao 12. Jaydn Su'a 23. Oregon Kaufusi
Interchange: 8. Josh Papali'i 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Martin Taupau 20. Chanel Harris-Tavita
18th man: 26. Ken Sio

France
6. Arthur Mourgue 2. Arthur Romano 3. Samisoni Langi 4. Mathieu Laguerre 5. Fouad Yaha 23. César Rougé 7. Tony Gigot 8. Jordan Dezaria 9. Alrix Da Costa 16. Gadwin Springer 11. Benjamin Jullien 12. Paul Séguier 13. Benjamin Garcia
Interchange: 14. Eloi Pelissier 15. Justin Sangaré 17. Mickaël Goudemand 21. Maxime Puech
18th man: 24. Louis Jouffret

3:25am (AEDT)
Hello and welcome to Zero Tackle for our live coverage of the 2022 Rugby League World Cup as Samoa tackle France in the final game of Group A.

The winner is through, the loser is out and the stakes are incredibly high, with a quarter-final against the second-placed team in Group D awaiting the victor of this game in Warrington.

The teams are out, so we will have those for you shortly ahead of the 4am (AEDT) kick-off.