England player ratings from 34-18 win over Samoa in first Test

England dominated the first half and a repeat of the 2022 World Cup semi-final which Samoa won in golden-point extra-time, was never on the cards. The tourists showed more spirit and skill in the second period, when their skipper Jerome Luai began to play, but the tally of six tries to three was a fair reflection overall.

The crowd of 15,137 only really found their voices in the final minute when a series of scuffles broke out, involving most of the players on the field. Referee Liam Moore awarded a penalty to the hosts, but took no other action.

That was England’s sixth penalty, to Samoa’s one. They also had all four of the game’s set restarts, each of them in the first half. England’s Harry Newman was the only Leeds player involved after new signing Keenan Palasia was named 18th man for Samoa.

The centre provided the final ball for the third of England’s tries, dancing across the defence and finding George Williams who ran a good line on to the pass before bouncing over at the second attempt. Williams was clearly man of the match and by that stage had already teed up two touchdowns as England cruised into a 16-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The first was well-worked, Victor Radley, Harry Smith and Kai Pearce-Paul keeping the ball moving across the line before Williams flicked a pass to Herbie Farnworth who cut inside to score. England went further ahead via Matty Ashton when he stepped through Samoa’s flat-footed right-side defence. With Smith adding two goals - eventually finishing with five - England were in complete command until handing Samoa a lifeline seven minutes before the interval. Daryl Clark’s looping pass was intercepted by Dene Mariner - who read it very well - and he raced clear from half-way for a touchdown which Junior Pauga improved.

That was totally against the run of play, but the game was more of a contest after the interval, though Radley’s early score - from a superb offload by Farnsworth - ensured there would be no comeback from the tourists. They did score next, through Dane Mariner, off some magic by Luai, but Ashton added his second from acting-half Williams’ pass following clever play by Jack Welsby and then Dom Young put Mikey Lewis in.

Samoa scored the final try when a Pearce-Paul error allowed Gordon Chan Kum Tong to run in from long-range and Pauga added his third conversion. The flare-up after that hinted at a growing rivalry between the two sides, which bodes well for next week in Leeds.

England: Welsby, Young, Newman, Farnworth, Ashton, Williams, Smith, Havard, Clark, Lees, Bateman, Pearce-Paul, Radley. Subs Lewis, Knowles, McMeeken, Burgess.

Samoa: Tuivasa-Sheck, Skelton, Tago, Pauga, Mariner, Milford, Luai, Molo, Tevaga, May, Blore, Nanai, Asiata. Subs Seuala-Talagi, Leilua, Vaalepu, Chan Kum Tong.

Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan). Attendance: 15,137.