The small Polynesian nation, at the time with little more than two thousand rugby players practicing the sport, inflicted a terrific defeat on a Wales side very much in decline.
The Rugby World Cup newcomers were the first to put points on the board during the first half of the match, played in Cardiff at the national ground. Mathew Vaea scored a penalty, but this was later cancelled out by a score in kind by Mark Ring. The score remained 3-3 until the interval in this hard-fought, physically intense match.
Fierce Western Samoan tackling was immense during the game and pivotal to their success. Though often chest-high, their tackles were deemed legitimate and left the Welsh literally staggering on, and off, the field. Wales were relieved of the services of Phil May, Tony Clement and Richie Collins due to injuries incurred from the forceful challenges.
This high tackling was a bone of contention for the Welsh. As was the Western Samoan first try, ‘scored’ thirty-five seconds after the interval. Centre To’o Vaega kicked the ball ahead and attempted to chase it down, with Welsh scrum half Robert Jones in accompaniment. Television replays clearly show Jones achieving the first touch of the ball but referee Patrick Robin awarded the try to Vaega, despite being unsighted on the twenty-five metre line. With the try converted, the score tipped the scales in favour of the outsiders 3-9.
Although unfair, the decision did little to tarnish the merit of Western Samoan play, and indeed their win, as the game had already started to slip from the grasp of the Welsh fist.
The Western Samoan second try held no such qualms, and came after a prolonged phase of increasing pressure and attack. Sila Vaifale attained the try, the conversion went awry, but the score was stretched to 3-13 and was drawing ever further away from Welsh control.
The last fifteen minutes of the game proved to be Wales’s strongest, and the men in red threatened to make a comeback into the performance. This was highlighted by an endeavour from Arthur Emyr Jones: he scored Wales’s first try, which was converted by Ring. Scrum half Vaea again widened the score from Wales’s built upon 9-13 with his second penalty of the game, taking the Western Samoan tally to sixteen points. New captain Ieuan Evans scored Wales’s second try in injury time but the Welsh were to score no additional points on this melancholic occasion.
Ring failed to shine in his new role at fly-half; his opposite number Vaea was more reliable with the boot on the day. Following shoulder injuries May and Collins were out of the tournament, while Clement, again with a shoulder injury and bruised from head to toe following a spectacular tackle by Apollo Perelini, was to miss the subsequent match with Argentina.
On this dark day in Welsh rugby the Western Samoans made rugby history. The minnows’ upset presented the prospect of Welsh failure in the pool stages, as only more daunting matches against Argentina and the Australians were to follow.
The match remains as one of the biggest upsets in Rugby World Cup history.
