Australia vs Samoa Pacific Championships Tips, Prediction & Preview

Andrew Hendrie: Jan 26, 2024

It’s a rematch of the World Cup final in the opening game of the Pacific Championships as Australia and Samoa collide in Townsville on Saturday night.

Australia vs Samoa Tips, Prediction & Preview

Australia vs Samoa free Pacific Championships betting tips, predictions and preview – Australia have won all four previous meetings between the nations, with three covering a -22.5 line…

Australia vs Samoa H2H Prediction

Australia vs Samoa Tips

Best Australia -22.5 line odds $1.91 with bet365

Australia have won all four previous meetings
Australia have covered a -22.5 line in three of those wins
Australia beat Samoa in last year’s World Cup final
Over 45.5 total points has landed in three of the four previous meetings
Stephen Crichton was the leading point scorer at the World Cup, scoring four tries and 28 goals
Selwyn Cobbo scored 20 tries in 24 NRL games this season
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored 15 tries in 20 NRL games this season
James Tedesco has scored eight tries in 11 games for Australia
Brian To’o scored 21 tries in 23 NRL games this season & five in seven games for Samoa

Australia vs Samoa Same Game Multi Tips

Australia vs Samoa Match Details

🌏 Competition: Pacific Championships
📅 Date: Saturday October 14
⏰ Time: 8.10pm AEDT
🏟️ Stadium: Queensland Country Bank Stadium

Australia vs Samoa Head to Head

11/11/00: Australia 66-10 Samoa
9/11/14: Australia 44-18 Samoa
17/11/17: Australia 46-0 Samoa
19/11/22: Australia 30-10 Samoa

Australia vs Samoa Preview & Prediction

Eleven months on from their clash in the World Cup final, Australia and Samoa square off to launch the Pacific Championships in Townsville on Saturday night.

Panthers stars Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton and Brian To’o led Samoa to a maiden World Cup final last year in the UK, downing England before succumbing 30-10 to the Kangaroos.

Crichton and To’o are back for Samoa, but Luai misses out due to a shoulder injury. That sees the versatile Crichton move to five-eighth to partner Daejarn Ali in the halves.

As usual, Samoa boast a strong forward pack, led by another Panther in Spencer Leniu and supported by the likes of Junior Paulo, Stefano Utoikamanu and Keenan Palasia.

Meanwhile, the Kangaroos deservedly start as overwhelming favourites, with seven players from the NRL Grand Final lining up.

Broncos star Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo have earned Australian debuts, while Dylan Edwards has also been rewarded with his maiden Kangaroos cap, starting on the wing with James Tedesco at fullback.

Grand Final hero Nathan Cleary has been forced to withdraw from the tournament with a knee injury, but the Kangaroos are still strong in the halves, with Queensland Origin winning pair Cameron Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans lining up.

Australia have big weaponry on the bench too, with Harry Grant, Pat Carrigan, Reuben Cotter and Lindsay Collins all set to make a big impact.

VERDICT:

Despite the injury to Cleary, this is still a very strong Kangaroos team. Samoa have been dealt a big blow with Luai missing, so it will be interesting to see how they create with Crichton in the halves. There’s some muscle in the forwards and speed out wide, but it won’t be enough against an Australian side littered with talent all over the field.

Confident the Kangaroos can cover a -22.5 line, which they’ve done in three of the four previous meetings (one miss was on 20) (Best Australia -22.5 line odds $1.91 with bet365.)

Australia vs Samoa Teams

Kangaroos team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Dylan Edwards* 3. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow* 4. Kotoni Staggs* 5. Selwyn Cobbo* 6. Cam Munster 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Payne Haas 9. Ben Hunt 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. Cameron Murray 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Harry Grant 15. Lindsay Collins 16. Patrick Carrigan 17 Reuben Cotter 18. Nicho Hynes 19. Jake Trbojevic 20. Tom Flegler 21. Valentine Holmes

Toa Samoa team: 1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. Murray Taulagi 3. Izack Tago 4. Young Tonumaipea 5. Brian To’o 6. Stephen Crichton 7. Daejarn Asi 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Gordon Chan Kum Tong 10. Junior Paulo 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Connelly Lemuelu 13. Keenan Palasia 14. Spencer Leniu 15. Terrell May 16. Heilum Luki 17. Ronald Volkman 18. Royce Hunt 19. Justin Matamua 20. Greg Marzhew 21. Tommy Talau

Australia vs Samoa Stats

Australia have won all four previous meetings
Australia have covered a -22.5 line in three of those wins
Australia beat Samoa in last year’s World Cup final
Over 45.5 total points has landed in three of the four previous meetings
Stephen Crichton was the leading point scorer at the World Cup, scoring four tries and 28 goals
Selwyn Cobbo scored 20 tries in 24 NRL games this season
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored 15 tries in 20 NRL games this season
James Tedesco has scored eight tries in 11 games for Australia
Brian To’o scored 21 tries in 23 NRL games this season & five in seven games for Samoa