BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Samoa outlasted Pacific neighbors Tonga 34-6 in a wild and highly physical Pacific Rugby Championship that also featured a lightning-fast 90-minute delay on Sunday.
Two tries from standout forward Jeremy Nanai and one from center Izak Tago gave the Samoans a 16-0 second-half lead before a severe thunderstorm saw the players and more than 40,000 fans at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium – home of reigning National Rugby League champion Brisbane Broncos – walk off the field in just over moments before heavy hail and heavy rain hit the stadium.
The storm fit into the raucous atmosphere as the Samoan and Tongan teams performed the traditional pre-match battle cry before a decidedly physical first half in which Samoa prevailed and held the lead throughout the match.
Samoa scored the first try after five-eighth Blaise Talagi drew two defenders and passed to the unmarked Izak Tago, who scored.
The Samoans doubled their lead in spectacular fashion in the 28th minute when Nanai dived and juggled Jerome Luai's shot and eluded the covering Tongan defenders to score under the post.
Nanai then scored his second try of the match, this time chasing his own kick, to give Samoa a 16-point lead.
A thunderstorm of lightning streaked across the penalty area midway through the second half, forcing a lengthy stoppage, but when play eventually resumed Samoa picked up where they left off, scoring three tries through Murray Taulagi, Payne Haas and Chanel Harris-Tevita.
Tolutau Cole scored a consolation goal in the final minutes of the game for Tonga.
The 28-point margin meant Samoa would reach the final of the three-team tournament ahead of the round-robin final between New Zealand and Tonga next week in Auckland.
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