Australia will be looking to depart for Japan on a high-note by getting a big win over Samoa when the two sides lock horns on Saturday the 7th of September.
The new Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta will play host to the Wallabies World Cup farewell party this Saturday. The hosts will not only be looking to put in solid shift but also avoid injury at all cost. The latter may prove rather hard as the Samoans have a reputation of being the fiercest tacklers in the game.
Photo Copyright Steve Haag – Hollywoodbets
Australia v Samoa
Saturday 7 September
Bankwest Stadium
11:30
To Win (80 Mins)
Australia 1/50
Draw 30/1
Samoa 10/1
Handicap
Australia
Samoa
*Handicap to be added upon release
Australia
The fact that Australia will lay Samoa a fortnight out from the start of the World Cup tells you all you need to know about the thought processes at the RFU. If there was one team you’d want to avoid heading into a global showpiece it is Samoa. The islanders are aggressive and tackle like men possessed, which may well mean a few Wallabies will end up limping to the bench prior to the full-time whistle going out at Parramatta.
While Michael Cheika does need to establish the make-up of his first-choice XV, I wouldn’t begrudge him resting his star names and sending the fringe players out for duty here, as an injury to a Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor or Michael Hooper would drastically affect their World Cup chances.
Samoa
The Samoans will be relishing this contest as this will be their first hit-out against Tier 1 opposition this year. They tend to up their game against the big guns, and they will need to as they have struggled against the lower-ranked sides this term losing to the United States and neighbours Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup with their only win in the tournament being their opening round eight-point win over Tonga.
As alluded to earlier, the Samoans will bring the physicality this Saturday. While they don’t have the likes of the Tuilangi brothers on their books anymore, they do have some monstrous tacklers who won’t hold anything back.
Verdict: Australia (-)
If the Wallabies are smart and just look to control the setpiece then they should have no problems getting one over a Samoan side that has struggled to fire on attack this term.
