CHRIS HEWETT
GUEST COLUMNIST

When Western Samoa surprised Wales by beating them in Cardiff during the pool stage of the 1991 World Cup – correction: they shocked the living hell out of them, discombobulating the rest of us into the bargain – the hometown laughter-in-the-darkness jokes were not long in coming. “Thank God we weren’t playing the whole of Samoa” was just one among many.
Six years later, the country changed its name. Farewell Western Samoa, hello Samoa. Which was bad news for Wales, who were promptly beaten again at the 1999 tournament, which they happened to be hosting. “Can’...