26 Established 1961 Sports Wednesday, September 25, 2019 Fidow fires Samoa to bruising win over Russia at Rugby World Cup Samoa move on to face Scotland in their next game KUMAGAYA: Marauding winger Ed Fidow bagged a low card for a high tackle on Russia captain Vasily quickfire double as Samoa beat Russia 34-9 in a Artemyev before hooker Motu Matu’u followed him to bruising Rugby World Cup encounter marked by three the sin bin after another dangerous challenge on yellow cards yesterday. Fidow provided the spark in a Artemyev. tempestuous Pool A clash after the Pacific islanders Russia let Samoa failed to capitalise on their were reduced to 13 men in the first half for two reck- numerical advantage, but Jones refused to criticise less tackles in steamy Kumagaya. Russia’s Kirill French referee Romain Poite. “We were expecting Gotovtsev was sin-binned later in the game. more severe penalties than what were given,” he “To lose two players, go down to 13 men and we admitted. didn’t lose on the score... really proud of the effort,” “Of course it would have changed the game. Two said Samoa coach Steve Jackson. “We knew we would red cards in two minutes and the world’s a different come out after half-time and the boys were still fresh place.” Refereeing was in the spotlight after World — we had plenty left in the tank. I’m just glad we got Rugby issued an unusual rebuke earlier on Tuesday over the line.” Russia coach Lyn Jones bemoaned his about officiating standards at the tournament, follow- team’s short, four-day turnaround following their 30- ing several controversies in the opening days. 10 defeat by hosts Japan in the tournament-opener last Friday. “It affected us tactically and mentally,” said SAMOA FIREPOWER the Welshman. Pisi, who at 37 became the oldest player to repre- “We played a World Cup final for our boys on sent Samoa at a World Cup, had a kicking game to Friday night and it’s more the mental thing that’s hurt forget, missing four of six attempts with the boot. us,” added Jones. “We just weren’t there tonight and However Samoa, playing their first game of the tour- lacked the motivation compared to what we had nament, ultimately had too much firepower for the against Japan.” exhausted Russians. Samoa, World Cup quarter-finalists in 1991 and Scrum-half Dwayne Polataivao failed to come out 1995, began the game pumped up after a passionate for the second half after taking a blow to the head, but performance of their ‘siva tau’ war dance. And they the Samoans hit back when Afaesetiti Amosa bull- went ahead after 15 minutes when a superb pass from dozed over five minutes after the restart. Tim Nanai-Williams — cousin of All Black star Sonny Russia’s Kirill Gotovtsev was yellow-carded for a KUMAGAYA: Samoa’s fly-half Tusi Pisi (L) is tackled by Russia’s prop Valery Morozov (2L), Russia’s cen- Bill — found Alapati Leiua to crash over for the first high tackle attempting to block Amosa, who was tre Dmitry Gerasimov (3L) during the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between Russia and of his brace. stretchered off after twisting his knee. A superb drop Samoa at the Kumagaya Rugby Stadium in Kumagaya yesterday. —AFP But Russia fly-half Yury Kushnarev, making a goal from Kushnarev pulled Russia back to within a record-extending 111th appearance for the Bears, point before Fidow grabbed Samoa’s second try in the kicked a pair of penalties to give the Bears a 6-5 half- 49th minute, bursting through after a clever pass from to make it 10 tries in nine appearances for his country. buzzer to give the score a slightly flattering hue. time lead which should have been more after Samoa replacement hooker Ray Niuia. Fortunate perhaps to still be involved in the game, Samoa move on to face Scotland in their next game played almost 10 minutes with 13 men. Fidow extended Samoa’s lead shortly afterwards Lee-Lo made up for his yellow by adding Samoa’s while Russia, still searching for their first-ever World Centre Rey Lee-Lo was lucky to escape with a yel- with the bonus-point try as the Russian began to wilt fifth try before Leiua added the icing just before the Cup win, take on Ireland. —AFP Steyn keep their places and coach for the first time in their history and are Benvenuti, Michele Campagnaro, No Parisse Conor O’Shea has also tinkered with targeting the October 4 clash against Jayden Hayward, Giulio Bisegni; the back line, moving Hayward from heavyweights South Africa as their Tommaso Allan, Callum Braley; Braam fullback to inside centre. chance to climb out of the pool. Steyn, Jake Polledri, Sebastian Negri; as Italy ring The half-back combination of Canada meanwhile named 11 of the Dean Budd (capt), David Sisi; Simone Bullish Japan can Callum Braley and Tommaso Allan is the team that started in their last warm-up Ferrari, Luca Bigi, Andrea Lovotti changes 13th different pairing used by Italy game against the USA. Canada have Replacements: Federico Zani, Nicola ‘beat anyone’ at since the 2015 World Cup. Even O’Shea been to every edition of the World Cup, Quaglio, Marco Riccioni, Federico admitted after Sunday’s Namibia reaching the quarter-finals in 1991 with Ruzza, Maxime Mbanda, Guglielmo for Canada match: “We’ll have to move on from narrow wins over Fiji and Romania. Palazzani, Carlo Canna, Mattia Bellini Rugby World Cup that pretty quickly. It wasn’t very pret- Once the undisputed powerhouse of TOKYO: Italy announced 10 changes ty. There’s too many errors in it.” North American rugby, Canada’s for- Canada (15-1) HAMAMATSU: World Cup hosts Japan are on Monday for their Rugby World Cup Conditions were tricky at the tunes have been on a downward spiral Patrick Parfrey; Jeff Hassler, Ben confident of “beating anyone”, livewire scrum- match against Canada and rested talis- Hanazono Stadium, with the weather over the past decade and they only Lesage, Nick Blevins, DTH Van Der half Yutaka Nagare said ahead of their crunch manic captain Sergio Parisse, with an ranging from bright sunshine to torren- scraped into this year’s event via the Merwe; Peter Nelson, Gordon Pool A match against Ireland on Saturday. Four eye on sterner tests against New tial rain as the players were unlucky repechage. McRorie; Tyler Ardron (capt), Lucas years ago Japan shocked the sport by pulling Zealand and South Africa. enough to catch the very edge of a They have virtually no chance of Rumball, Michael Sheppard; Josh off a thrilling 34-32 victory over South Africa Lock Dean Budd will skipper the typhoon swirling to Japan’s west. repeating their 1991 heroics, as they Larsen, Conor Keys; Matt Tierney, and it is a measure of just how far the Brave side in Parisse’s absence in Fukuoka Italy, the Six Nations wooden- are drawn in the same pool as southern Eric Howard, Hubert Buydens Blossoms have come that their players believe tomorrow, as the Azzurri look to spooners, should have too much fire- hemisphere giants South Africa and Replacements: Benoit Piffero, they can push one of the northern hemisphere’s improve on their unconvincing 47-22 power for Canada who are ranked 22, New Zealand. Djustice Duru-Sears, Jake Ilnicki, best teams. win against minnows Namibia. Only the second lowest side at the Rugby Luke Campbell, Matt Heaton, “We’re confident of beating anyone in the Jayden Hayward, Luca Bigi, Tommaso World Cup after Namibia. Italy are Italy (15-1) Jamie Mackenzie, Ciaran Hearn, world,” said a defiant Nagare, who edged out Allan, Tommaso Benvenuti and Braam aiming to make it into the quarter-finals Matteo Minozzi; Tommaso Andrew Coe. —AFP Super Rugby veteran Fumiaki Tanaka for a starting role in Japan’s 30-10 victory over Russia in Tokyo on Friday. announcing his team yesterday. “When we reviewed the Russia game, it was Jones sticks “There is a risk about him going out on actually better than we thought. There was a lot of Kobe beach today and it is much better pressure and we got a little flustered, but we played that he plays rugby than goes out to the quite well. “It’s all now about belief in what we’ve with Vunipola as beach. He loves to play.” England’s new- accumulated in training. We need to demonstrate look line-up includes four players making intent and attention to detail.” England change their first start of Japan 2019 — wings Nagare added: “This is a World Cup, you always Ruaridh McConnochie and Joe Cokanasiga, need to give 100 percent to be able to win, as was inside centre Piers Francis and lock Joe the case for Russia and will be the case for Ireland. 10 for USA Launchbury. “My mindset is that we need to beat them to make Up front, prop Dan Cole will win his 91st KOBE: England coach Eddie Jones insisted the last eight.” cap, becoming England’s third-most he had no qualms about sending out star Joe Schmidt’s Ireland, however, will be a differ- capped player alongside national hero No 8 Billy Vunipola for a second Rugby ent proposition from what was in essence a very Jonny Wilkinson. Cole appeared to have World Cup match in a row as he made 10 limited Russian side that briefly made the most of a fallen out of favour under Jones but the changes to his side for their match against very nervy start by Japan under the watchful glare Australian praised the “outstanding scrum- the United States on Thursday.