England v Samoa LIVE: Rugby World Cup result and final score as late Danny Care try prevents upset
England 18-17 Samoa: The Pacific Islanders were minutes away from a first ever win against England but were denied by Care’s late score
Danny Care scored the winning try seven minutes from time to spare England’s blushes and complete a 18-17 victory over superb Samoa in their Rugby World Cup Pool D clash on Saturday.
Two tries from winger Nigel Ah-Wong had Samoa leading deep into the match, but their dreams of a first win over England were ended by poor discipline as they lost centre Tumua Manu to a yellow card and conceded repeated penalties that gave England the territory they needed.
England lost 30-22 to Fiji in a warm-up fixture ahead of the World Cup and may meet them again in the quarter-finals, where they will need an improved performance after a sloppy showing against Samoa where they made numerous handling errors and battled with the high tempo game of the Pacific Islanders.
England had secured top spot in Pool D but advance with a clean sweep of four wins after lock Ollie Chessum scored their opening try on a day when captain Owen Farrell broke Jonny Wilkinson’s points record of 1,178 as he kicked three penalties.
Follow all the action as England face Samoa in their Pool D match plus get all the latest Rugby World Cup odds and tips here:
It’s not been all plain sailing for England this week after flanker Jack Willis was ruled out of the rest of the Rugby World Cup to continue his streak of injury misfortune.
The back-rower featured in three of England’s warm-up fixtures ahead of the tournament, coming off the bench against Wales and Ireland and starting against Fiji at Twickenham, before making his World Cup debut against Chile.
In that game, Willis played the full 80 minutes and scored a try in a 71-0 win but suffered a neck injury that has now ruled him out of the remainder of the competition, meaning he will be sent home from France.
Read more, including the thoughts of head coach Steve Borthwick, below:
England suffer Rugby World Cup injury blow
Jack Willis has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament after suffering a neck injury against Chile
Rugby World Cup permutations: Which teams can qualify for quarter-finals?
The Rugby World Cup is hotting up as teams seek to secure their places in the quarter-finals.
The top two nations from each of the four pools will progress to the last eight, with the quarter-finals to be played on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 October in Marseille and Paris.
In the event of a two-way tie, the nation that won the encounter between the two teams will progress; in the event of a three-way tie, the nation that finishes with the best points difference will finish on top, followed by the team that won the fixture between the two remaining teams.
Teams receive four points for a win, with a bonus point available for scoring four tries or more. A losing bonus point is received if you finish within seven points of your opponents; a draw is worth two points.
Read about all the key permutations as teams head into the final round of group-stage fixtures:
Rugby World Cup permutations: Which teams can qualify for quarter-finals?
The tournament will conclude with the final at the Stade de France on Saturday 28 October
England vs Samoa - live updates
Final preparations
Manu Tuilagi comes full circle for historic Rugby World Cup showdown with extra meaning
England vs Samoa in Pool D at the 2023 Rugby World Cup may not go down as the most important fixture in the tournament’s history, especially given that one team are already through to the quarter-finals and the other all but out.
However, for the Tuilagi rugby dynasty, it will be one of the most special and historic days of their sporting lives as the youngest member of the rugby-playing clan faces his homeland for the very first time.
After more than a decade in the international game, there is little that Manu Tuilagi hasn’t done but when he pulls on the No 13 England jersey on Saturday in Lille, he will be squaring off against not only the country in which he was born but the very team after which he was named.
Read Luke Baker’s preview for this afternoon’s clash below:
Manu Tuilagi comes full circle for historic World Cup showdown with extra meaning
When England face Samoa in Lille on Saturday, Tuilagi will line up against his homeland, and the team he was named after, for the first time
England vs Samoa - Line-ups
England XV: 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George, 3 Dan Cole; 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Ollie Chessum; 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Alex Mitchell, 10 George Ford; 11 Jonny May, 12 Owen Farrell (captain), 13 Manu Tuilagi, 14 Joe Marchant; 15 Freddie Steward.
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 George Martin, 20 Billy Vunipola; 21 Danny Care, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Ollie Lawrence.
Samoa XV: 1 Jordan Lay, 2 Sama Malolo, 3 Michael Alaalatoa (captain); 4 Sam Slade, 5 Brian Alainu’u’ese; 6 Theo McFarland, 7 Fritz Lee, 8 Steven Luatua; 9 Jonathan Taumateine, 10 Lima Sopoaga; 11 Neria Fomai, 12 Danny Toala, 13 Tumua Manu, 14 Nigel Ah-Wong; 15 Duncan Paia’aua.
Replacements: 16 Seilala Lam, 17 James Lay, 18 Paul Alo-Emile, 19 Sootala Fa’aso’o, 20 Alamanda Motuga; 21 Melani Matavao, 22 Christian Leali’ifano, 23 Miracle Fai’ilagi.
England vs Samoa - Samoa team news
Samoa also make significant alterations, including an entirely new front row as captain Michael Alaalatoa is promoted to the starting XV. Sam Slade and Brian Alainu’u’ese are the locks while Lima Sopoaga is fit to return at fly half, with the former All Black taking over from Christian Leali’ifano.
There are only three survivors from Samoa’s last meeting with England in 2017: the Lay brothers and Melani Matavao.
England vs Samoa - England team news
England make sweeping changes after their second-string thrashed Samoa, with Tom Curry making an immediate return to the starting side after serving his two-match suspension. George Ford, Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi combine in a familiar midfield as Joe Marchant is pushed out to the wing, leaving no place for five-try Henry Arundell.
Jack Willis will miss the remainder of the tournament after suffering a neck injury; England are yet to confirm a replacement.
England vs Samoa - key details
When is England vs Samoa?
The match is due to kick off at 4:45pm BST, 5:45pm local time, at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on ITV1 with coverage starting from 4:15pm. Registered users can also watch the match from the same time online on ITVX.
Is England vs Samoa on TV? Channel, start time and how to watch Rugby World Cup match
England have the luxury of knowing they have already qualified for the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals as winners of Pool D but will try to build momentum for the knockout stages by beating Samoa in Lille.
Wins of varying ease and quality against Argentina, Japan and Chile have put Steve Borthwick’s team top of the group on 14 points and they will prepare for a quarter-final, likely to be against Fiji, by facing another Pacific Island nation.
Seilala Mapusua’s Samoa side currently sit fourth in Pool D after securing a win against Chile in their opening match and can mathematically still reach the knockout stages, although it would take an unlikely set of circumstances including a huge bonus-point victory and a draw between Japan and Argentina.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Is England vs Samoa on TV? Channel, start time and how to watch Rugby World Cup
England will look to maintain momentum ahead of the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals
England vs Samoa - live updates
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of England vs Samoa in Lille as England look to maintain momentum heading into the knockout stage of this Rugby World Cup.
Samoa can still mathematically qualify, although need the most unlikely set of results, but will want to make a statement as they look for a first-ever win over England.
It’s also a special day for Manu Tuilagi and his family as he plays the country of his birth, and the team he was named after, for the first time in his career.
Stick with us for full coverage
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