England haven’t been tested yet and could be dumped out of the World Cup by the strongest side that Samoa has ever assembled.
That’s the bold claim from Samoa’s 2000 World Cup captain Willie Poching, ahead of Saturday’s much-anticipated rematch in the semi-finals at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.
“England will be favourites and have been fantastic,” says Poching, as his nation bids to avenge their 60-6 humiliation by the hosts on the tournament’s opening day at St James’ Park.
“But have they been tested yet? I’m not sure. That’s probably the one advantage for Samoa who are battle-hardened.
“There has never been a Samoa team with this quality of player who are at the pinnacle of their careers and the pinnacle of form.
“They go into this week flying with confidence. They went into Newcastle cold. Some of the guys had only had four or five days in the country and then straight into the cauldron. Each player has got better and better, and to see the likes of Brian To’o and Jarome Luai has been enormous.”
Samoa were stung by that England loss, but have responded with impressive wins over Greece, France and then Tonga in an epic quarter-Final.
Their prickly head coach Matt Parish has not gone out of his way to make friends during his time in the UK however, maintaining a frosty relationship with the media and even banning Poching himself from entering their training headquarters.
Poching - who is looking for his own next coaching role after leaving Super League Wakefield - called that a misunderstanding and says Parish apologised for getting it wrong.
“I got an invite from the chairman to go and watch the team train, but was turned away. The coach rang me and apologised that he didn’t know who I was. He thought I was a media person and he didn’t want a reporter at the training session, which I understand.
“Some coaches are like that, each to their own. Wayne Bennett doesn’t have the greatest relationship with the press either. There is an element of protection.“
One thing Parish has got right however, is his confidence in the tournament being about the last game rather than the first and as such that humbling defeat to England means nothing.
Poching agrees, and believes the squad has got better with every minute of every game since, and England will underestimate them at their peril.
“Samoa’s obvious strength is the power,” he adds.
“They have big front rowers but also a couple of pocket front rowers on the wings too - Brian To’o is something else.
“My heart is with Samoa and I know the team understands the magnitude of the challenge this week. It will be loud and I’m hoping the boys have enough in them.”
Samoa’s knockout win over Tonga last weekend in Warrington was not only the game of the tournament so far, but also produced the most memorable and emotional moments, as the two rivals went face to face in a spine-tingling pre-match ritual, and prayed together after the final hooter.
“It was a fantastic challenge of war dances of the like I have never seen before to that magnitude. It was fantastic theatre,” says Poching.
“Then afterwards, the shaking of hands and the showing of brotherhood was massively important for us in our Pacific community.
“That we recognise when it is time to have that intensity, but then the bigger picture of our communities coming together. The scenes from back home, the fans driving around, the parades, the cars having both flags. It wouldn’t have been the case a little while ago.
“Such is what this game has been able to do in bringing everyone together, and the peace and harmony the players showed after the war dances and with the prayer after the game. Those guys are doing a really good job at being the role models that our community needs.”
Samoa are 80 minutes away from their first ever appearance in a World Cup final.
England v Samoa kicks off at 2:30pm on Saturday, live on BBC One.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
