England vs Samoa LIVE! Rugby World Cup 2023 match stream, latest score and updates as Sopoaga extends lead
England’s Rugby World Cup pool stage campaign comes to a close in Lille today. Steve Borthwick’s rejuvenated side will be looking to make it four wins from four after a two-week break to head into the quarter-finals with real confidence and momentum, already guaranteed to progress as Pool D winners after bouncing back in impressive fashion from a dismal warm-up schedule.
But despite having already locked in a last-eight clash in Marseille on October 15, most likely against Fiji, England will not want to rest on their laurels with a stern physical test coming this afternoon. Samoa – who make nine personnel changes – can still reach the quarter-finals themselves as runners-up, but would need to win by at least 29 points today and hope that tomorrow’s shootout between Argentina and Japan in Nantes is drawn with neither side claiming a try bonus point.
Manu Tuilagi faces the country of his birth for the first time today, while old friends and rivals George Ford and Owen Farrell are also reunited as the 10-12 partnership. Follow England vs Samoa live below, with expert analysis from Standard Sport’s Nick Purewal at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy!
Live updates
England 8-17 Samoa
57 mins: NO TRY!
Marchant is put through and dots down after some incisive England passing, but that was a clear forward pass for Itoje unfortunately.
Very obvious.
An off-the-ball hit from Toala on Farrell is also being looked at.
England 8-17 Samoa
57 mins: Samoa with some terrific last-ditch defending as Mitchell is held up!
England just cannot catch a break.
England 8-17 Samoa
54 mins: NO TRY!
Chessum is adjudged to have been short and then propelled himself over in a double movement.
It’s not a try, but we will come back for the England penalty.
They kick to the corner.
England 8-17 Samoa
53 mins: England are sustaining a lot of pressure now, camped just outside the try line after the driving maul.
Has Chessum got this down for his second score of the day?
We’ll have a TMO check after the referee diffuses a flashpoint involving Vunipola, who complains that he was “punched in the face three times” as tempers flared there.
He’s told to walk away. On-field decision is no try, the referee thinks it was short.
England were playing with penalty advantage.
England 8-17 Samoa
50 mins: Kyle Sinckler is on in the England front row, replacing Cole.
Marcus Smith has also replaced George Ford.
England 8-17 Samoa
Standard Sport’s Nick Purewal at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy
England start the half brightly, but fail to turn a driven lineout into a scoring chance with a loose pass to Tuilagi that allows Samoa to break 70 metres.
Sopoaga’s eventual penalty pushes the Samoan lead to 17-8.
PENALTY! England 8-17 Samoa | Lima Sopoaga 48′
48 mins: No mistake from Sopoaga from the tee as the Samoa lead ticks up to nine.
Referee Andrew Brace also warned Farrell there for multiple infringements from England’s tired defence, including offsides and off-the-ball tackles.
England 8-14 Samoa
46 mins: England’s defence are looking worryingly rattled once again now.
They are ground down by double-digit Samoa phases, crashing away at the line with more brute-strength carries.
Ah Wong ends up trying to get around Steward down the right with a smart little grubber kick, but May desperately gets back to touch it down.
Samoa were playing with an advantage there and we will now come back for the penalty.
England 8-14 Samoa
45 mins: Curry has blood seeping from a wound under his head tape and will need to go off to have that sorted.
Billy Vunipola comes on for now.
England 8-14 Samoa
43 mins: Curry gets over the ball well at the breakdown and earns England an early second-half penalty.
They have an attacking platform outside the 22, but it’s all so ponderous and slow.
Farrell tries to find Tuilagi and the pass is disrupted by Fomai and seized by Samoa, who are off to the races!
That’s a try-saving, last-ditch tackle from Ford on Paia’aua, who had been teed up nicely by Sopoaga.
England living a charmed life once again. What do Samoa have to do for this third try.
Brilliant recovery work from Ford.
.jpg?width=1200&auto=webp&quality=75)
