There was considerable talk about crowds in the lead-up to Sunday’s opening 2025 Pacific Cup clash between New Zealand and Samoa.
While there were thousands of empty seats at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium—the official attendance of 21,251 was more than 4,000 less than this year’s NRL elimination final crowd between the Warriors and Panthers—the Toa Samoa fans were still at their vocal, flag-waving best.
Speaking after the 24-18 loss, a disappointed Samoan captain Jarome Luai explained that while the support and emotion of the fans made for a ‘powerful’ experience, it was the players who needed to do more.
“It’s powerful, you definitely feel the energy of the crowd,” Luai said.
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“But the crowd can’t play the game for us, we’ve got to be the ones to go out there and get the job done,” he continued.
“Obviously I’m feeling a bit of disappointment, but we get to try and make amends for that next week (against Tonga).”
Following the brutal week one match-up with New Zealand, Samoa head coach Ben Gardiner indicated the side that takes the field against Tonga at a heaving Suncorp Stadium next Sunday could be quite different.
Canberra Raiders forward Ata Mariota is certain to be missing after being knocked out on his international debut when trying to make a tackle on Kiwi centre Casey McLean, while Jazz Tevaga and Jaydn Su’A also suffered category one concussions.
“Poor Ata, he is pretty dusty at the moment, we’ll get his family across to him and make sure he is okay,” Ben Gardiner said after the match.
“We have a lot of blood, a lot of stitches going on in the (dressing) room at the moment, but that’s part and parcel of a big game with that sort of physicality.
“You wouldn’t expect anything else, the players are putting their bodies on the line for their country.”
Samoa face Tonga at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Sunday October 26. Kick off is at 4.00pm.