Golden Games - England V Samoa 2014 Four Nations

When the Rugby League World Cup kicks off on Saturday (October 15) it will make those who care about the international game giddy with excitement. Not just because it has been delayed for a year but also because the international programme since the 2017 World Cup - even before Covid hit in early 2020 - has been almost as empty as a Ralph Rimmer apology. 

Australia and New Zealand refused to travel to England for the World Cup 12 months ago so Shaun Wane’s side had to content themselves with just the one engagement for 2021. That was a 30-10 win over France in Perpignan in October. A mixture of Covid and the relaunch of the Great Britain brand for a tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea in 2019 has meant that England have played only five matches since Josh Dugan tapped Kallum Watkins’ ankle and Wayne Bennett’s England fell six points short of becoming World Champions. Or since they became only the second team - after their own 1975 incarnation - to be nilled in a World Cup final. Funny thing, perspective.

Samoa have been similarly dormant since their 46-0 quarter-final defeat to Australia at the 2017 World Cup. They played just once in 2018 (a 38-22 defeat to Tonga) and twice in 2019 when they went down 44-6 to Fiji after beating Papua New Guinea 24-6. 

The inactivity is about to cease as England finally get to open their own long awaited tournament against the 2022 version of Samoa at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Many observers of the game - including this one - are more than a tad concerned about the task awaiting the home side. Samoa have brought with them a squad that is brimming with top NRL talent. The likes of Brian To’o, Stephen Crichton, Jarome Luai, Junior Paulo, Joseph Suaali’i and Oregon Kaufusi would grace any team. And if Hamiso Tabuai-Fedow - newly signed by Kristian Woolf’s Redcliffe Dolphins - gets in open space you can probably forget about anyone in England’s controversial white and blue catching him. 

The threat from Samoa is real. If it transpires then it will not be the first time that they have given England all that they could handle over 80 minutes. We’re going back to the 2014 Four Nations to look at how a side featuring Joey Leilua, Mose Masoe, Ricky Leutele, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Josh McGuire and current Kiwi international Isaac Liu pushed England all the way in what was also a tournament opener. 

It was a round-robin format with each of the teams playing each other once in Australia and New Zealand before the top two met in the final. This was England’s first competitive game since losing an epic World Cup semi-final to New Zealand at Wembley a year earlier. Shaun Johnson broke English hearts that day, and coach Steve McNamara came into this one with a virtually new pack.   

Josh Hodgson had enjoyed a year with Hull KR that was good enough to see him recruited by Canberra Raiders. He replaced James Roby while Sam Burgess had agreed a switch to rugby union since the 2013 semi-final defeat. Brother George came into the starting line-up with his twin Tom on the bench. There was no Sean O’Loughlin so Joe Westerman started at 13. Castleford’s Daryl Clark had been named Man Of Steel after a superb year with the Tigers and he was handed an international debut off the bench.

The back division saw less change. Michael Shenton came in at centre for Leroy Cudjoe while Gareth Widdop’s halfback partner was not the now internationally retired Kevin Sinfield but former Saints lightning rod Matty Smith. These were strange times indeed. That left Sam Tomkins to continue at fullback with Ryan Hall and Josh Charnley on the wings with Watkins partnering Shenton in the centres. 

After a tight opening it was Clark who provided the first real telling contribution. He took advantage of some dozy defending at marker to scythe through from just inside the Samoan half. As he was brought to ground he found Tigers team-mate Shenton on his inside with a free run to the line. It was the former Saint’s third and final try in what would prove to be the last match of his 10-game international career. 

Shenton’s moment in the Brisbane sun had given England a lead which lasted only five minutes. Matt Parish’s side hit back when St George-Illawarra Dragons half Kyle Stanley found McGuire who handed on for Liu to crash over through the tackles of Tomkins and brother Joel. By this time Sam Tomkins was an NRL player too having swapped Wigan Warriors for their New Zealand namesakes at the end of the 2013 season. This was that bewildering era in history when Wigan players flitted between the DW Stadium and the NRL almost on a weekly basis. Even Joe Burgess - a man with frightening speed but also cursed with the turning circle of Royal Caribbean’s Symphony Of The Seas - managed to find employment at both South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters. 

A few minutes later England were behind. Stanley was involved again, finding Featherstone’s finest Leilua on the right to allow him to hand on to one-time Salford man Daniel Vidot to squeeze over in the right corner despite the attentions of Charnley. Vidot played only 10 games for Salford in 2016 having joined from Brisbane Broncos. Red Devils fans saw him cross the try line six times in that short spell so it is clear that he had some pedigree as a whitewash botherer. A year after his spell at Salford he retired from rugby league to pursue a career in professional wrestling. If only he’d had the foresight to stick around a year or two more he would have seen rugby league turn into a grapple fest in any case.

Back in Brisbane there were six minutes left until the break when England crossed for their second try to retake the lead. Chris Hill charged to within a metre of the line before the ball was spread right via Clark, Smith and Sam Tomkins who gave Watkins a walk-in. Watkins is again involved with England eight years on from this encounter. Only now it is as a veteran Salford back rower. Back on this day he was a 23 year-old centre, perhaps the most devastating in Super League and about to play his part in the Leeds Rhinos domestic treble of 2015. This was his ninth cap. If selected by Wane this weekend he will win his 26th, and his first since that fateful ankle tap. It has been quite the renaissance for the Manchester-born star. And quite the Salfordian flavour to this 2014 clash with Parrish having briefly coached the club and Vidot’s brief stint. 

A Widdop penalty stretched England’s lead to 14-10 before he played his part in pushing McNamara’s side even further in front. Five minutes into the second half he linked up with Smith to send Liam Farrell over on the left for England’s third try. Farrell is a key absentee for England’s class of 2022. He will miss out on the opportunity to play in his second World Cup with a knee injury. Here he was notching his first try for England in his third appearance as McNamara’s side opened up a 10-point advantage at 20-10.

Still the Samoan side would not go away. Only one of their 17 plied his trade in Super League and he was about to have a significant effect on proceedings. Peta Godinet played 45 games in two seasons with Wakefield Trinity, scoring 11 tries. He dragged Samoa back into the game when he went over from dummy half with 25 minutes remaining. He threw an outrageous dummy to his left, bamboozling Hill and the Tomkins’ brothers while opening up a huge gap to the line. 

Godinet wasn’t done there. On the hour he repeated the trick. This time on the other side of the field down the England left. He zipped past Farrell and Shenton who were slow to react at marker. Godinet then lowered his shoulder and crashed over despite the attempts of Sam Tomkins, Clark and Hall to stop him. The try was converted and Samoa led going into the game’s final quarter. If you were in any doubt about whether England could slip up against a Samoan team then don’t be. This was getting perilously close and this current Samoan squad looks much stronger on paper.

The shock of going behind at that stage possibly stirred England. They restored their lead just three minutes later. Smith’s bomb sailed high into the Queensland sky where Shenton was first to it. He couldn’t gather it but was fortunate enough to see his touch travel backwards into the waiting arms of Joel Tomkins who had a simple task. The less celebrated of the Tomkins boys to play rugby league for England, Joel would only do so twice more before defecting to the other code. This was his only try for England rugby league and it put McNamara’s team in a tenuous sort of control at 26-22.

The argument was effectively settled in very similar circumstances by a different Tomkins brother. Smith again launched one into the atmosphere were it was flapped at by Samoa’s Wests Tigers fullback Tim Simona. Fortunately for England the ball hit Sam Tomkins on the chest, allowing him to pick it up after it ran loose and stretch over to score as Stanley literally tried to pull his pants down. Just over 10 minutes remained as Widdop’s conversion offered breathing space at 32-22. 

Like the Monty Python knight - the one currently debasing himself on GB News - Samoa still wanted to fight. Two lucky tries by barmaid baiting Wigan siblings were a mere flesh wound. No sooner had Tomkins gone over than a cross-field kick was batted back by Frank Pritchard into the arms of Leutele. He found McGuire who spun a pass out to North Queensland Cowboys winger Antonio Winterstein to crash over in the left corner. 

England clung on for a 32-26 win but it was their only victory of an otherwise frustrating campaign. McNamara’s side suffered narrow defeats to both Australia and New Zealand who ultimately met in the final. England went down 16-12 to a Kangaroos side featuring Warrington ambassador Greg Inglis and a certain Sione Mata’utia. The Saints back rower was playing one of his three Tests for Australia on the wing before he eventually represented Samoa at the 2017 World Cup. 

Six days later New Zealand edged out England 16-14. Hall and Charnley scored tries in a losing cause as the Kiwis counted former Catalans Dragon Dean Whare, Hull KR talisman Shaun Kenny-Dowall and recent Wigan retiree Thomas Leuluai among their number.  The Kiwis went on to claim the title, edging out Australia 22-18 in the final at Wellington. Mata’utia crossed for his only Kangaroo try but scores from Johnson, Manu Vatuvei and Jason Nightingale ensured that Stephen Kearney’s side collected their second title in five editions of the Four Nations, also winning in 2010. 

Overall England and Samoa have met only three times competitively. The 2014 match-up was by far the closest so far, with England also winning 38-14 in 2006 and 30-10 at the 2017 World Cup. Something tells me this weekend’s encounter could yet be the most memorable and hard fought of all. Will there be a different outcome?

Relive the highlights of England’s last big clash with Samoa here. 

Wello’s In Tray

The relentless, trophy-laden Kristian Woolf era is at an end. He signed off with a third Super League Grand Final triumph in as many seasons. No coach has achieved that before in the professional era. He also added a Challenge Cup and a League Leaders Shield to his list of honours. Just how do you follow that?

The man charged with trying is already a St Helens and rugby league legend. Whether that is an advantage or a disadvantage depends on how you look at it. Paul Wellens - promoted from the assistant’s role having been part of the coaching set-up since his on-field retirement in 2015 - succeeds Woolf as Head Coach on an initial two-year deal. Stepping into the number two role vacated by Wellens will be former Catalans Dragons and current French national team Head Coach Laurent Frayssinous.  

Despite the incredible success enjoyed by Woolf and before him Justin Holbrook there is still plenty to occupy the mind of Saints’ new boss and legendary former fullback. Here’s a little look at what might be in Wellens’ in-tray for this off-season and beyond.

1. A Left Winger 

Priority Number One is arguably to fill the Regan Grace-shaped hole on the left flank. The Welshman missed much of the season through injury and will not return having agreed to switch to rugby union and join Racing 92 in France. Jon Bennison, Will Hopoate, Josh Simm, Mark Percival and Ben Lane are among those who have filled in admirably for Grace, but more pace is needed in that three-quarter line. At a recent forum Woolf acknowledged that left wing is the one area that Saints have been actively looking to recruit for 2023. We should expect at least one new arrival.

But who? The fans’ choice would be Wakefield Trinity’s breakout star Lewis Murphy. Huddersfield Giants’ Innes Senior is a genuine flyer. What about a gamble on a Championship star in Tee Ritson? If money or contracts were no barrier then Super League’s best is Ash Handley. Or perhaps the prolific Fouad Yaha who will be known to Frayssinous among the French squad. If we’re playing Fantasy Football then how about Sydney Rabbitohs and PNG superstar Alex Johnstone or Canterbury Bulldogs’ flying fox Josh Addo-Carr? I’m sure Luke Thompson could have a word. Unlikely given the restrictions of the salary cap.

2. A Roby Succession Plan

Though most of what Woolf has passed down to Wellens places him at a great advantage, there are one or two little hospital passes in the mix. Not least of these is the thorn-riddled issue of how to solve a problem like a generational player. The task of replacing James Roby should really have been Woolf’s problem. Or at least he should have been the main strategist in working out just how you fill those boots. Roby was at pains to remind everyone at every opportunity that he was 99% certain to retire after the 2022 campaign. Which he was until he wasn’t. The skipper has committed instead to one more year. Barring a second and then a third deferral of his retirement Roby has therefore burdened Wellens with the task of finding a worthy successor. 

And the truth is that unlike last time we had a generational number nine retire, on this occasion we don’t have anyone who looks capable of stepping into the role. Perhaps we shouldn’t expect to either. Having two all-time greats follow on from each other in the same position is exceptionally rare. As rare as members of M People who endorse Liz Truss. Joey Lussick has been steady in relief of Roby this year without being spectacular, while Taylor Pemberton still has to fall into the unproven category with just two first team appearances to his name. Will Wellens give Pemberton more game time this year? Will he bring someone in? Don’t all shout ‘Not Brad Dwyer!’ at once.  Could Aaron Smith’s Saints career be resurrected after seemingly being surplus to Woolf’s requirements? There are options but none of them are James Roby.

3. Be Ruthless - Stop Renewing You Know Who?

Apart from that much needed winger there isn’t going to be much in the way of recruitment ahead of 2023. Woolf said this at that Q & A before his departure was announced and Wellens’ early utterances since taking over have seemed to double down on that position. What we have seen is a lot of existing players being retained throughout the last campaign. Jack Welsby, Matty Lees, Sione Mata’utia, Konrad Hurrell and Lewis Dodd have all had new or extended deals handed to them during the course of this year. And then there is Roby, who was always staying so long as he wanted to play on. 

Another with a new agreement in the pocket is the only man in the squad older than the captain, this column’s favourite punchbag Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook. He will be 37 before the 2023 season gets under way. Whether or not you thought the prop was a world-beater at 25 or 30 there are few players who spring to mind who have cut it in Super League at 37 or over. And they have tended to be RL legends like Steve Menzies, Jamie Peacock and Sean O’Loughlin. Putting aside my own bias can we really carry on handing out one year extensions to an average player way past his best just because he’s a good bloke to have around? It won’t be easy for Wellens as McCarthy-Scarsbrook is one of those whom he once played alongside, but he cannot let it go on beyond 2023. McCarthy-Scarsbrook may choose to retire but if not, a conversation needs to be had between friends.

4. Make It Fun

While Saints were conquering all before them under Woolf it was considered heresy to criticise his methods. Not that it stopped me. You can’t argue with his phenomenal winning record but it hasn’t always been fun. In mitigation this year he has been dealing with permanent injury and suspension problems. There was a noticeable shift towards a more conservative approach when Dodd was lost for the season in mid-April. Yet it has hardly been Harlem Globetrotters stuff at any point during Woolf’s reign. The emphasis has always been on defence first, then hammering the door down through the middle before you even think about playing with anything resembling panache. 

For some this does not matter. As long as there are trophies being lifted at the end of each year then the ends justify the means. My take is that - especially in a playoff system in which winning the league has never earned you more disrespect - there has to be more to the journey of a regular season. If all we are playing for is to get into the playoffs then what is there to get excited about during a routine 20-point home win over Leigh or Wakefield? Failure to make the playoffs for Saints would be an underachievement of Warringtonian proportions. It’s probably not going to happen. After all, it never has in 25 years of a post-season system. So we need something to make the months from February to September exciting again. We need to play with a swagger.

Happily it looks on the face of it as if Wellens agrees that this has been missing. He has spoken about the club’s traditions of open, flowing rugby. He has identified Frayssinous as someone who can help perk up an attack that is - unusually for a great Saints side - not its main strength. It is going to be fascinating to see what the Frenchman comes up with to shake things up with ball in hand. Having Dodd back will help but if we are going to play more expansively we need buy-in from the players. And arguably a faster back line. It won’t happen overnight but I’d settle for visible strides towards it.

5. Don’t be KC 

Like it or not we have to confront the loxodonta in the room. Long before Woolf left - when hypothetical conversations about his potential successor were being held in offices and bar rooms from Billinge to Clock Face - there was furious debate about whether we should appoint another relatively recently retired club legend as Head Coach. For some the trauma of the Keiron Cunningham years and the sadness around his eventual departure is still raw. They fear that if Wellens does not live up to expectations - and let’s face it those are pretty massive when you are going for five titles in a row - then his reputation will dip amongst the support.

One of the saddest things for me in recent years supporting Saints has been the decline of the esteem in which Cunningham is held. These same fans voted for him to be the subject of the statue outside the stadium. Now he’s rated a step or three behind the next great hooker who came along - the admittedly brilliant Roby. Either we have been incredibly lucky in producing number nines in this town in the last 30 years or else it doesn’t compute. It seems to me that a mixture of recency bias and a lingering resentment towards Cunningham for his Lama Tasis and his Atelea Veas is at play.

Of course, Wellens is not Cunningham. He is his own man who will no doubt implement his own ideas and philosophies. Seemingly he has already started that process. You are unlikely to see Saints props diving for the floor to get a quick play-the-ball under the former fullback’s tutelage. Yet as close as he was to the Cunningham situation Wellens will know the risks. If he has listened to the fan chatter or read it on social media he will know the threat to his legacy that is posed by failure. He must learn from his old coach and team-mate’s experience. Everything from tactics to communication with the fans is almost as important as results.

What do you think? What are the things that you would like to see Wello focus on? Or should he employ an ‘if it ain’t broke’ philosophy?