USA thrash Samoa to keep slim World Cup hopes alive

Pool A of the Women’s Rugby World Cup

USA: (27) 60

Cons: Cantorna 5; Tries: Tafuna 4, Rogers 2, Bargell, Coulibaly, Jarrell, and Ortiz

In their final match of Pool A, the USA defeated Samoa 10-tries to keep their World Cup quarter-final hopes alive.

With second-placed Australia, the USA and the USA were at par on points in the pool.

Later on Saturday (17:00 BST), the Wallaroos host and tournament champion England in their final pool game.

The USA will advance to the quarter-final stage on points difference at Australia’s expense if Australia loses to England by at least 76 points and doesn’t receive a try-scoring bonus point.

The USA started the day with a significant point deficit behind Australia, which they had led by 135, but they managed to reduce that deficit to 75 with a dominant victory in York.

Four tries from prop Hope Rogers and hat-trick scorer Freda Tafuna for the States came in the week before last week’s defeat of Australia.

When the Eagles, who were leading 46-0, substitute Kristin Bitter was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes for a deliberate knock-on, the momentum of the USA was slowed in the 60th minute.

Stathopoulos, Learned, Leatherman, Brody, Perris-Redding, Ortiz, Bitter, and Kelter are the replacements.

Ah-Cheung, Aumua, Pouri-Lane, Vatau, Falaniko, Wright-Akeli, Aiolupotea, Filimaua, Iosefo, Sio, Madisen-Jade, Atonio, Pauaraisa, Fanen-Lolo, Sio, and others are Samoa.

Amber Stamp-Dunstan (Wal) and Holly Wood (Eng) serve as assistant referees.