Johnny Leota’s try hands Samoa famous win over Wales in Cardiff

A late try from Johnny Leota handed Samoa a 26-19 win over Wales at the Millennium tonight.
The score was ever so close all game long but Samoa took their chances best and when Leigh Halfpenny lost his footing in the in-goal trying to gather a kick, the Sale centre, above, pounced on the ball to score the winning try three minutes from time.
This is another famous win for the Pacific Islanders in the Welsh capital after they created one of the biggest upset in World Cup history back in 1999.
They showed great composure and outmuscled a Welsh pack up front at the breakdown but especially at the scrum in second half to give the Welsh nowhere to go.
With a vast number of players plying their trade in Europe, they also showed how clinical they can be scoring three very well taken tries.
Wales were dominated for most of the game and didn’t have any answers to Samoa’s speed and power in defence.
They kept kicking the ball away poorly and put themselves under a lot of pressure conceding countless turnovers at the breakdown.
It’s now their fifth consecutive defeats and this Autumn series could turn sour as they face New Zealand and Australia in the next two weeks.
Samoa went off to a flying start with No.8 Taiasina Tuifua breaking the Welsh defensive line before showing patience to take the tackle and recycle the ball.
On the next phase the ball went wide and simple hands saw full-back Faatoina Autagavaia score in the right corner.
Tusi Pisi added the extras and Samoa were leading 7-0 after only two minutes.
Halfpenny reduced the deficit for Wales with two easy penalties but the home side couldn’t manage to get inside the opposition’s 22.
Instead it was all about Samoa as the Islanders kept putting the pressure on the Welsh line both in attack and defence.
Just after the half-hour mark, they created another chance and when an overlap appeared on the right hand side, Pisi decided to throw a long pass but it was intercepted by Ashley Beck instead.
The Ospreys centre raced for the corner outpacing everyone to put Wales in front for the first time even though it wasn’t deserved as such.
Pisi kicked a penalty on the last play of the half and Samoa were trailing 13-10 at the break.
The Pacific Islanders went back in front early in second half when captain David Lemi secured a turnover ball to see Kahn Fotuali’i pick up and break on the left hand side.

The Ospreys scrum-half found George Pisi on his shoulder and the Northampton centre scored in the corned with a superb dive.
But it didn’t last long and Halfpenny put Wales back in front with a superb penalty from inside his own half.
The kicking contest carried on with two penalties for Pisi against one for Halfpenny to see Samoa lead 21-19 with less than 15 minutes to go to set up a thriller.
But just like the first 65 minutes, Wales struggled to make a break and when they conceded another turnover at the break down the ball went wide to Lemi.
The Worcester winger put his foot down before putting a kick through for Autagavaia to chase. Halfpenny lost his footing and he and Autagavaia both missed the ball but arrived Leota to seal the win.
For Wales
Try: Beck
Conversion: Halfpenny
Penalties: Halfpenny 4
For Samoa
Tries: Autagavaia, G. Pisi, Leota
Conversion: T. Pisi
Penalties: T. Pisi 3
Wales: Halfpenny; Cuthbert, Beck, Roberts, North; Biggar, Phillips; James, Hibbard, Jarvis; Davies, Evans; Jones (capt.), Tipuric, Faletau.
Replacements: Owens, Jenkins, Andrews, Charteris, Warburton, Knoyle, Priestland, Williams.
Samoa: Autagavaia; Perez, G. Pisi, Williams, Lemi (capt.); T. Pisi, Fotuali’i; Taulafo, Avei, C. Johnston; Leo, Paulo; Treviranus, Fa’asavalu, Tui’fua.
Replacements: Paulo, Afatia, J. Johnston, Fomai, Su’a, Leota, Lilomaiava.
Referee: Paul Gauzere (France)
Star man: Kahn Fotuali’i – Samoa
NICK VERDIER
Read the full report and analysis with reactions in Sunday’s edition of The Rugby Paper.
You can relive all the action here.