ENG 18-17 SAM: Care's late show saves England
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ENG 18-17 SAM: Care's late show saves England
Scrum-half Danny Care's try sends undefeated England through to the quarter-finals as Pool D winners with an 18-17 win over Samoa at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Saturday, 7 October.
England made it four wins out of four at Rugby World Cup 2023 but were made to work hard before overcoming Samoa 18-17 in Lille on Saturday.
After Ollie Chessum's score for England early in the first half, Samoa - who beat Chile and lost to Argentina and Japan by fewer than 10 points - played with ambition and growing confidence, and were rewarded with two tries from Nigel Ah-Wong within five first-half minutes and had two more ruled out by the Television Match Official.
Owen Farrell and Lima Sopoaga exchanged penalties before England had two tries of their own ruled out by the TMO. And with Samoa down to 14 men, replacement scrum-half Danny Care's converted try finally saw England home.
Already confirmed as Pool D winners, England will play the runners-up in Pool C - Australia or, more likely, Fiji - in the quarter-finals in Marseille on Sunday, 15 October.
