Samoa scored 10 tries to ease past Uruguay 60-13 in this Pool C encounter – the first ever meeting between these two sides – at Subiaco Oval in Perth.
The Pacific Islanders, making their first appearance of the Tournament, had wrapped up a bonus point for four tries within half an hour against the side ranked 10 places below them in the official IRB world rankings.
Throwing the ball along their back line to open up the Uruguayan defence, Samoa repeatedly broke through with flanker Maurie Fa’asavalu and veteran centre Brian Lima scoring two tries apiece.
Fa’asavalu opened the scoring in the 11th minute, the flanker shrugging off a tackle to run in unchallenged from 40 metres out. Tries by Lima (two), Sailosi Tagicakibau and Fa’asavalu again made it 29-5 at half time to Samoa.
Number 8 Rodrigo Capo had belatedly given the Uruguayan supporters in the crowd something to cheer when he touched down just before half time, but within a minute of the restart wing Lome Fa’atau had increased Samoa’s lead with their sixth try.
Simon Lemalu then enjoyed a dream international debut for Samoa, the prop scoring their seventh try with his first touch of the ball within a minute of replacing Kas Lealamanu’a in the 50th minute.
Tanner Vili was the next Samoan to get his name on the scoreboard, the Uruguayans spilling the ball to allow Lima, playing in his fourth Rugby World Cup, to throw a scoring pass to the full back.
However Uruguay, beaten 72-6 by South Africa in their previous match, refused to give in and were rewarded with a pushover try for their star prop Pablo Lemoine just past the hour mark.
Samoa though had the final say with replacement Dominic Feaunati and lock Opeta Palepoi scoring tries to push the Pacific Islanders through the 60 point mark despite them being a man down after wing Fa’atau was sent to the sin bin.
England and South Africa may be many people’s tips to progress to the quarter finals from Pool C, but on this performance Samoa – who have reached the knockout phase in their three previous Tournaments – cannot be ruled out of the equation.
Next up for Samoa are Georgia at Subiaco Oval on Sunday, while Uruguay have a break before facing the same opponents, this time at Aussie Stadium in Sydney, on October 28.
Samoa: 60
Tries: Fa’asavalu (2), Lima (2), Tagicakibau, Fa’atau, Lemalu, Vili, Feaunati, Palepoi
Conversions: Va’a (3), Vili (2)
Penalties:
Uruguay: 13
Tries: Capo, Lemoine
Penalties: Aguirre