It was a willing contest in front of 44,000 fans, sparking the conversation on whether these two sides should play each other more often.<\/p>\n
Read on for all of the talking points out of Round 2 of the Pacific Championships!<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
SAMOA FORWARD DUO SHINE IN WIN<\/p>\n
Back rower Jeremiah Nanai and Samoa captain Junior Paulo produced inspired performances to lead their country to victory on Sunday night.<\/p>\n
Nanai was brilliant, scoring two tries in a fashion seldom seen by a back rower.<\/p>\n
His first highlight came in the 2nd minute when he rattled the cage of Tolu Koula with a textbook hit. It set the tone defensively as Samoa were relentless on that side of the ball throughout the first half. <\/p>\n
He also reeled in a chip kick with one hand before beating two defenders to score Samoa\u2019s second try. <\/p>\n
Later in the half, he grubbered one through to himself and won the race to the ball to score.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t see that from many back rowers \u2026 He\u2019s been absolutely brilliant,\u201d Michael Ennis said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know how capable he is. He is one of the most athletic and best try scoring backrowers in the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nanai had a rough start to 2025. He was dropped following the Cowboys\u2019 Round 1 loss with his coach Todd Payten calling on him to <\/p>\n
It was a gutsy move from the coach given Nanai\u2019s lofty pay packet, but it was the right call and helped Nanai improve defensively. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a tougher player because of what Todd Payten has challenged him to become,\u201d Fox League\u2019s Andrew Voss opined in commentary.<\/p>\n
Cooper Cronk agreed. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe made a big call at the start of the year. He came back refocused,\u201d the legendary halfback said.<\/p>\n
The performance of Samoa\u2019s captain Junior Paulo was also lauded.<\/p>\n
Like Nanai, Paulo\u2019s intensity defensively helped light a fire under Samoa.<\/p>\n
Ennis credited Paulo for the year, believing the change of coach at the Eels could be a factor in the prop\u2019s form in the twilight of his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes a change can be the best thing. It\u2019s noticeable how fit he\u2019s looked this season and in these Pacific Champs,\u201d Ennis said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looks as fit as he\u2019s ever been. He\u2019s moved as well as he ever has. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe work rate has been enormous. He\u2019s been great.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tonga and Samoa exchange epic War Cries | 01:27<\/p>\n
STAR HALFBACK \u2018MISSES THE MARK\u2019 <\/p>\n
It has been a sensational season for Isiaya Katoa, who finished runner up to Nathan Cleary in this year\u2019s Dally M Halfback of the Year award.<\/p>\n
Katoa\u2019s form in 2025 spring boarded off the back of some stellar play in last year\u2019s Pacific Championships for Tonga.<\/p>\n
Being tasked with leading around a star-studded team in the No. 7 jersey, he admitted during the pre-season that he gained so much confidence after that experience.<\/p>\n
It proved to be a shot in the arm to his game as Katoa\u2019s form in 2025 was blistering, with the young playmaker establishing himself among the NRL\u2019s top halves.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for Katoa, the halfback struggled to make an impact in Tonga\u2019s 2025 Pacific Championships opener.<\/p>\n
Known for rarely making the wrong decision or read, Katoa made several miscues at Suncorp Stadium as the Tonga side struggled in attack.<\/p>\n
Legendary No. 7 Cooper Cronk noted that Katoa \u201cmissed the mark\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is missing some opportunities,\u201d Cronk said in commentary.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s missed the mark a little bit today.\u201d<\/p>\n
While there was plenty of blame to go around in the Tongan side, the humble Katoa will be the first to admit he wasn\u2019t at his best.<\/p>\n
He missed six tackles and conceded three penalties. <\/p>\n
Fox League\u2019s Michael Ennis praised the job Samoa did to shut down the halfback.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a well-executed game plan from Samoa because they know he\u2019s the general. They\u2019ve done a great job taking away Katoa\u2019s time,\u201d Ennis said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are seeing how important Jeremy Marshall-King is to Isaiya Katoa and how valuable the experience is of Kodi Nikorima.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the moment today, he\u2019s playing with Siliva Havili (at hooker), who is a great player but he\u2019s probably at the time of his career he\u2019s an impact forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsaiah Iongi has been brilliant at fullback for the Eels and it\u2019s hard to be critical as its first day in the No. 6 jersey alongside Katoa.\u201d<\/p>\n
EPIC BATTLE RAISES INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE CONCERNS<\/p>\n
It was a raucous atmosphere at Suncorp Stadium as over 44,000 fans poured in to watch these two proud countries do battle. <\/p>\n
Given the intensity and brutality of the game, it\u2019s a rivalry we should be seeing much more of.<\/p>\n
However, as Fox League commentator Andrew Voss noted, it isn\u2019t known when the next fixture between Samoa and Tonga will take place. It could be up to three years away.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want more than just one off Test matches. I want to see more,\u201d Voss said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have 44,000 people here and there\u2019s a chance this is the only time they play each other in next three years.<\/p>\n
\u201dThat can\u2019t be the case. We\u2019ve got this jewel in the crown just sitting there.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just can\u2019t be left waiting for the next Samoa-Tonga clash without knowing when it will be because I can\u2019t tell you. If someone asked me to day when will they play next, well I wouldn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s obviously a chance they meet in the final in two weeks, but if New Zealand beat Tonga next week, it won\u2019t be until next year\u2019s World Cup<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s very romantic to have all of these contests in the international game but there is only a certain window it can fit.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is the ideal scenario? I think We need the best p; ayers and countries playing often.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love what international rugby league has done in last couple of years, they just need to find what the best mix is.<\/p>\n
The crowd figure. 44,682. They aren\u2019t fitting that into CommBank two weeks down the track.<\/p>\n
\u201cI get it. Alliamz is out of the pixture at the moment. I realise that but Accor is literally kilometres away. <\/p>\n
WERE TONGA HARD DONE BY?<\/p>\n
Look, at the end of the day, the better team won and won well. But there were a couple of calls that will leave a sour taste in Tonga\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n
Simply put, they are two moments that could have changed the game. <\/p>\n
There were arguably two sin bins missed by the officials, both of which would have seen Samoa lose a man for ten minutes.<\/p>\n
Inside the first 90 seconds, Tonga prop Stefano Utoikamanu was hit high by a Francis Molo tackle, with Molo\u2019s shoulder striking Utoikamanu\u2019s head. <\/p>\n
The Storm and Tongan star walked off gingerly and was quickly ruled out due to a category 1 head knock. He\u2019ll now miss next week\u2019s clash against NZ.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s been a sin bin all year,\u201d Jake Duke said on Fox League. <\/p>\n
\u201cI agree. I think Molo should have been sin binned,\u201d Michael Ennis said.<\/p>\n
\u201cStefano was taken from the field and not able to return while Molo was able to continue.\u201d<\/p>\n
The second incident came just minutes before the lightning delay.<\/p>\n
Tonga hooker Soni Luke made a break and only had fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to beat. Luke kicked over the top of Tuivasa-Sheck and then the two players collided.<\/p>\n
As it turned out, Tonga actually won the race to the kicked ball, but Isaiah Iongi couldn\u2019t ground it and knocked it on.<\/p>\n
However, Ennis believes Tonga should have received the ball back and enjoyed a one man advantage for ten minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at it closely, than he puts his hands out. The initial incident his hands go out and for me, it had to be a penalty and a sin bin,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
It definitely changes the complexity of this game. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe changes direction and his hands go out. Soni Luke just can\u2019t get around him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s the Francis Molo and this one. A couple of tough calls that have gone against the Tonga side.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You don\u2019t often see games of rugby league with 90 minute weather delays, but that was the case…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":242590,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-242589","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-rugby","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=242589"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242589\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/242590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=242589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=242589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=242589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}