Samoa coach Ben Gardiner will have to fit eight players into five spots when the World Cup rolls around next year, with Izack Tago making a stunning statement on Sunday against Tonga. The Penrith Panthers centre, who has won three NRL premierships, was below his best in the opening game of the Pacific Championships against New Zealand.
He was given a bath in defence by club teammate Casey McLean, and it led to some fans questioning his place in the Panthers’ back-line for next season. With McLean, Brian To’o, Paul Alamoti and Thomas Jenkins, Penrith coach Ivan Cleary has the option to move away from Tago if he wishes.
Izack Tago bounced back with a superb performance for Samoa against Tonga (L), amid suggestions he could be squeezed out of the Panthers’ back-line (R). Image: Getty
Tago is also facing a fight to retain his spot in the Samoa side moving forward, with Stephen Crichton and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow set to come into the back-line for next year’s World Cup. Crichton and Tabuai-Fidow are both injured at the moment, but will be walk-up starters for Samoa if fit.
Their absence for the Pacific Championships has allowed Tago and Broncos premiership-winner Deine Mariner to start in the centres, but Crichton and Tabuai-Fidow will likely force them out. It appeared a somewhat easy decision when Tago struggled against New Zealand, but he bounced back in a big way against Tonga.
The centre scored a superb try to open the scoring at Suncorp Stadium, and finished with 151 running metres from 16 carries. He also had four tackle-breaks and two line-breaks in his best performance for months.
Samoa facing huge back-line decisions for World Cup
How Gardiner fits Crichton and Tabuai-Fidow into his back-line is anyone’s guess, after every member of the back five performed well on Sunday. Fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck ran for a staggering 276 metres to go with six tackle-breaks.
Wingers Brian To’o and Murray Taulagi ran for 174 and 121 metres respectively, while Taulagi had a line-break and line-break assist. And Mariner had 118 metres, six tackle-breaks and a line-break.
Crichton will walk into a starting centre spot, while Tabuai-Fidow could either play centre or fullback. Tuivasa-Sheck’s future is under a cloud amid links to cashed-up rugby competition R360, while Wests Tigers player Taylan May is also waiting in the wings.
NRL world blown away by Samoa and Tonga
Speaking on SEN radio on Monday, Broncos great Corey Parker said Samoa’s 34-6 victory puts them in the same category as Australia. With Payne Haas carving up and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui tipped to switch to Samoa next year, their team is looking the goods.
“The England v Australia match (in the Ashes) just highlighted the difference between where those two nations are at,” Parker said. “You see where Samoa are at and you’d have them ahead of England at the moment.”
Izack Tago made a major statement as he fights to retain his spot. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
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Andrew Voss was blown away after 45,000 fans packed Suncorp Stadium – showing how far the Pacific nations have come. “It was one of the more extraordinary rugby league days that I have ever been to,” Voss said on SEN.
“What do we do with Samoa and Tonga? We have something here that is a jewel in the crown that rivals State of Origin. Almost 45,000 fans turn up to Suncorp Stadium to watch Tonga play Samoa. The passion, the intensity and the quality of the game rivals Origin.
“I’m not saying that it’s better than Origin but of the same quality. It’s tribalism (and) it’s right in our lap. These two teams haven’t played each other since the last World Cup which is close to three years ago. It could be another three years because there’s no guarantee that they play each other at the next World Cup.
“So how do we make it happen? Do you want more (because) when we talk about expansion and other things, can’t you see what we have right in front of us? Most of us are neutral observers and we aren’t Tongan or Samoan but it’s bloody good to watch. These teams are both in a golden era. It’s as good as Origin.”
Teammates celebrate after Payne Haas scored for Samoa against Tonga. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Samoa’s victory put them into the Pacific Championships final in two weeks’ time. Tonga need to beat New Zealand by at least 17 next weekend to make it, otherwise the Kiwis will.