Argentina vs Samoa LIVE: Rugby World Cup score and latest updates

Jump to content Sign up to our newsletters Subscribe News Sport Voices Culture Lifestyle Travel Premium Sport Rugby Rugby Union Imogen Ainsworth Friday 22 September 2023 15:45 Comments Samoa rugby have the potential to blow Pool D wide open when they take on Argentina rugby in Saint-Etienne this evening. Seilala Mapusua’s men secured a bonus point win over Chile last time out, despite playing far from their best, and come into tonight’s Rugby World Cup clash sitting second in the Pool. Victory over Argentina will put Samoa on level points with England making the final Pool games more intriguing than expected. Argentina, meanwhile, will hope to improve from their opener against Steve Borthwick’s men. Michael Cheika ‘s Pumas entered the tournament with hopes of topping Pool D but struggled to exert themselves on the contest. Now, they face the prospect of an early exit and must click into geat against a solid Samoan side some pushing for a last eight place. How will the Pumas fare this evening? Follow all the action from the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Plus get the latest Rugby World Cup odds here. 1695393750 Pools A and B are stacked with some of the world’s heavyweight nations and sees South Africa, Ireland and Scotland battling to qualify from the same group. On the other side of the draw, two of Wales, Australia, Fiji, England, Argentina and Japan are likely to reach the semi-finals. On the opening weekend there were impressive results for South Africa over Scotland, Wales who edged out Fiji, Australia who beat Georgia and England who saw off Argentina, while Ireland, Italy and Japan all racked up big wins. The 2023 Rugby World Cup is under way in France Jack Rathborn 22 September 2023 15:42 1695393692 After months of toil and trouble, it took a Marseille cauldron for England to find their magic brew. It may not prove the elixir of Rugby World Cup life but on a night that threatened disaster after Tom Curry ‘s third-minute sending off at a bubbling Stade Velodrome, England came to the boil. The win was an odd concoction, a convincing final margin even with Argentina scoring the encounter’s only try two minutes from time. It was a night for leaders , and England’s stood up. Courtney Lawes led the defensive effort, Manu Tuilagi and Maro Itoje were back to their best. But it was George Ford , playing the pragmatist, who took control to kick England to a faith-restoring victory. Ford’s 27 points came from nine strikes of his right boot, three drop goals, six from the tee. English fly halves tend to enjoy the World Cup stage, and Ford’s performance here was a display of command, correctness and clarity. Not all ills are cured, clearly, but how England needed this sort of showing, their fire finally burning in the south of France heat. England 27-10 Argentina: Steve Borthwick’s side survived Tom Curry’s early sending off as their fly half kicked them to a faith-restoring victory Jack Rathborn 22 September 2023 15:41 1695393582 Head coach Seilala Mapusua has made just three changes to last week’s victorious team against Chile. Paul Alo-Emile and Brian Alainu’u’ese join the forwards in the front and second-row, while Ben Lam moves to the wing. Samoa XV: Duncan Paia’aua, Nigel Ah-Wong, Ulupano Junior Seuteni, Tumua Manu, Ben Lam, Christian Leali’ifano, Jonathan Taumateine, James Lay, Seilala Lam, Paul Alo-Emile, Brian Alainu’u’ese, Chris Vui (capt.), Theo McFarland, Fritz Lee, Steven Luatua Replacements: Sama Malolo, Charlie Faumuina, Michael Alaalatoa,Taleni Junior Agaese Seu, Sa Jordan Taufua, Melani Matavao, Alai D’Angelo Leuila, Danny Toala Imogen Ainsworth 22 September 2023 15:39 1695393201 Argentina assistant coach Felipe Contepomi said the Pumas do not need a new mentality for Friday’s Pool D clash against Samoa, they just needed to avoid the mistakes they made against England in their World Cup opener. The 27-10 loss to an England side who played with 14 men for most of the match have triggered some nerves among fans of the twice World Cup semi-finalists, not helped by the almost two-week wait for their second fixture. Contepomi, though, said the squad had faith in the structures they had put in place under Michael Cheika over the last 18 months and just needed to execute properly at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. “I do respect every opinion, but what’s important is what we think,” he told reporters through a translator on Thursday. “We prepared well for the England game. We’re not looking to change our mentality but just not to make the same mistakes we made against England. Every game is a new match and we’re confident in the work we have done. “The easiest way to have a good result is to have a good game. And to do that we have to focus on everything we can control and nothing else.” Argentina have played Samoa only four times and not since 2005, but Contepomi said the availability of video meant the few Pacific islanders who did not play at the top level would be familiar enough. “We haven’t played Samoa for a long time but most of their players are playing in Europe so they play week in, week out against our players also they know each other pretty well,” he added. Samoa have won three of the four matches against the Pumas, including victories at the 1991 and 1995 World Cups. Contepomi said although the Pumas were not taking Samoa lightly, such results were hardly relevant given the strides made in Argentinian rugby since they reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 2007. “Which team between Argentina and Samoa have improved most?” he asked. “I can’t tell you, but I can tell you that Argentina since 2007 have had the chance to regularly play tier one teams. The possibilities of evolution for Samoa were not as great.” Jack Rathborn 22 September 2023 15:33 Rugby World Cup Argentina rugby Samoa Rugby Michael Cheika Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in