NRL rep round 2022: Samoa defeat Cook Islands, Josh Schuster tears, David Nofoaluma four tries
Josh Schuster couldn’t hold back the tears before his Test debut for Samoa, then put on a superb show alongside winger David Nofoaluma in an emotion-charged win against Cook Islands.
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The tears rolling down Josh Schuster’s face set the tone for an emotional night as the Samoan star stamped his authority to lead his team to a commanding 42-12 win over the Cook Islands in Campbelltown.
The Sea Eagles youngster has been in the headlines all season about his move to the halves next season, but the gifted youngster let his footy do the talking as he produced a couple of moments of magic in his international debut.
The enormity of the occasion got to him before kick-off as the tears flowed during the national anthem as it dawned on him what it would mean to represent Samoa just like his relatives did.
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“For me, to sing the anthem after them, it was very emotional. They were sitting in front of me. I made them very proud,” Schuster said after the game, describing the night as “a million out of 10”.
“Words can’t really describe the feelings that you feel. If you’re not there then you can’t really explain the feelings that I was feeling out there singing the anthem in front of my family.
“It was the first time I’d represented my country. It’s probably a night that I’ll never forget representing my family and Samoa, especially all my uncles that represented Samoa, plus my dad. To get the opportunity to represent my beloved country, I’ll never forget.”
Schuster was front and centre during the Siva Tau as Martin Taupau led a powerful war dance before Samoa let loose with a dazzling display of attack that will give their fans back home plenty of reason to believe heading into the World Cup.
This is a team that will only get stronger with a number of stars in the State of Origin squads, but they are in safe hands as long as Schuster is in the side.
He got the party started with a brilliant pass to set up the first try of the night and then kicked ahead to set up Taylan May for his second try of the night with an inch-perfect kick in the second half.
Schuster then capped off a dream debut when he busted his way straight through some terrified defenders and then kicked through to set up David Nofoaluma for his third try assist of the evening.
AWESOME FOURSOME
David Nofoaluma always seems to find another gear when he plays in Campbelltown.
The local junior had never scored for Samoa before but he now has four tries to his name after a night he’ll never forget at his favourite stadium.
The Wests Tigers winger scored two tries and broke 13 tackles in a destructive first 40 minutes, and it only got better after the break.
The Campbelltown local had the Samoan flags waving when he plucked an interception and ran 80 metres to snuff out any chance of a comeback midway through the second half and then latched onto a Schuster grubber to complete the scoring.
His partner on the left edge wasn’t to be outdone, with Taylan May continuing to have the season that youngsters can only dream about.
The 20-year-old is the equal-leading try-scorer in the NRL this season with 14 and he took that form into the Samoan side for Saturday’s game.
May opened the scoring in the fifth minute and had three line-breaks in the opening half as he and Penrith teammate Izack Tago tormented their opponents every time the ball was spread to the left.
INGREDIENTS ARE THERE
It was a complete mismatch on paper, but the Cook Islands gave their fans a few reasons to smile with some unstructured footy that had them dreaming of a mighty comeback midway through the second half.
They had already been denied by the Bunker three times before promising Souths forward Davvy Moale finally crashed over, and the Cook Islands were rewarded with another try to Steven Marsters when the game was beyond reach.
This was always going to be an impossible task for a team that barely had a combined 250 NRL games between them, but they did well to create so many chances against a much stronger team.
HIA CONCERNS
The Sea Eagles could be without Josh Aloiai for Thursday’s blockbuster game against Melbourne after he was knocked out in a sickening tackle midway through the first half.
The Samoan lock went low trying to tackle Reubenn Rennie and got his head in the wrong place. A stretcher was brought onto the field but Aloiai was able to walk from the field, although he was immediately ruled out for the rest of the contest.
The Sea Eagles will also be sweating on the charge sheet after Taupau was placed on report for a crusher tackle on Anthony Gelling.
There was more HIA drama for Samoa when Kennan Palasia stumbled forward after his head was slammed into the turn by Makahesi Makatoa, who was placed on report.
Mead bows out on top as PNG stuns Fiji
The rugby league gods shone brightly on Campbelltown Stadium as retiring legend David Mead scored the winning try to seal a shock 24-14 win for Papua New Guinea, who physically dismantled Fiji on Saturday night.
Fourteen years after he pulled on the Kumuls jersey for the first time, Mead was there to back up a Lachlan Lam break to score in his final match in front of the PNG faithful who had made the trip to watch their national heroes in action.
While the two sides are evenly matched in the world rankings, this was supposed to be a comfortable win for a Fijian team that featured NRL stars Viliame Kikau, Maika Sivo and plenty of other solid players.
But they were no match for a fitter PNG side that came up with some huge moments, including a stunning burst of speed from Justin Olam that would have had everyone in Port Moresby in raptures.
The Storm centre is a hero back home and you can see why when he put on the afterburners to scorch the Fijian defence to set up Lam for their first try of the night.
But that was nothing compared to his audacious left-foot grubber late in the game that set up Lam for his second try that will have some clubs in Australia and England asking the Roosters if they can sign the playmaker next season.
TURUVA TIME
A host of NRL clubs will start sniffing around Penrith after uncapped fullback Sunia Turuva put in the game of his life to almost engineer a second-half comeback.
The 19-year-old has scored eight tries for the Panthers in reserve grade this season and carried that form all the way to Campbelltown where he nearly inspired his country to a win that never eventuated.
It was his try in the 54th minute that gave his side a sniff and almost certainly booked his ticket on the plane to the UK for the World Cup later this year.
Turuva ran for a whopping 146 metres in the first half and finished with a game-high 229 metres and showed his class under the high ball, and will now attract plenty of interest from clubs looking for a new fullback because he’s not going to unseat Dylan Edwards at the Panthers anytime soon.
He was a shining light for a Fijian side that lacked any creativity in the halves, and his sheer determination saw him chase down a Kikau grubber to score another wonderful try with the final play of the game.
While his attack was impressive, his desperate tackle to somehow deny Solo Wane proves he’s got the all-round game to handle the NRL.
HIP HIP FOR YEI
The Kumuls have produced some brilliant big men over the years, and they have a new hero in McKenzie Yei.
Yei has been a toiler in reserve grade, coming off the bench in all 12 of his appearances for the PNG Hunters this season, but surely he’s done enough to earn a starting spot after Saturday’s effort.
The stocky prop proved impossible to handle at times, making two breaks through the middle, including a try just before half-time that gave his side the lead.
His only blemish was a lifting tackle on Mikaele Ravalawa in the second half where he lost control, but he finished the game with 116 metres from 12 carries and looms as an important player for them at the World Cup.
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