Reece Walsh hat-trick sends Australia into Rugby League World Cup final with 44-12 win over Samoa
Australia defeated Samoa 44-12 at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium in a men’s Rugby League World Cup semi-final on 2026-11-08, with Reece Walsh scoring a hat-trick to spearhead the Kangaroos into next weekend’s final.
Samoa had been billed as a chance to test a vulnerable Australia, seeking some revenge after the last World Cup final when the Kangaroos kept Toa Samoa scoreless for much of their defeat at Old Trafford. The match built on that expectation: Samoa performed their Siva Tau before kick-off in a charged pre-match ritual led by Junior Paulo that ended with the sides face to face. The Snowy Mountains falls earlier in the day were noted against the backdrop of a boisterous crowd of 41,529 braving miserable conditions at Allianz Stadium.
The opening exchanges were physical. On the first carry Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was met by six tacklers, and a high shot on Samoan backrower Jermaine McEwen forced a penalty that left Australia defending their line two minutes into the contest. After a video referee call ruled Stephen Crichton to have lost the ball, a scrum exit allowed Tom Dearden to break through a hole and score, an outcome the article presents as vindication for coach Kevin Walters’ selection of Dearden at No 7.
Australia extended their lead after 14 minutes when Keaon Koloamatangi, a late inclusion to the starting lineup, drove through the middle and offloaded to Jacob Preston to breach the Samoan line. The Kangaroos’ forwards held firm in the first 20 minutes; a slipped carry from fiery substitute Spencer Leniu was followed seconds later by Tom Trbojevic crossing the line. Bradman Best added a left-corner try just before half-time after Cameron Murray’s strong carry opened space, and Leniu was sin-binned for an outburst at referee Adam Gee.
Reece Walsh both created and finished scoring after the break. Early in the second half he sent a Ronald Volkman kick that allowed Stephen Crichton to score, giving Samoa a brief sniff of a comeback, but Walsh then spun through the Samoan line from a Harry Grant pass to continue his influence. Walsh completed his hat-trick with a try set up by Cameron Munster and finished it with what the report describes as a comical half-swan dive, occurring about half an hour after Walters had told the broadcast his No 1 was to avoid any further needless acrobatics following an earlier back flip.
Australia finished with a completion rate of nearly 90% and held Samoa to just one line break, statistics the report cites alongside criticism of Samoa’s discipline and errors. The bunker overturned or disallowed key Samoan plays in the second half, including a ruled-out effort from Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow that the article says all but ended Samoa’s hopes of a comeback; the piece also notes earlier video referee interventions that went against Samoa.
The contest, described in the report as one-sided despite a fiery opening atmosphere—complete with the forehead-to-brow contact between Samoan winger Brian To’o and Australian prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, who played once for Samoa as a teenager—ended with the Kangaroos keeping their composure and closing out a comprehensive win.
Australia will face New Zealand in the men’s final next weekend at Lang Park as part of a trans-Tasman finals day double-header that followed the Jillaroos and Kiwi Ferns securing places in the women’s decider; the men’s final will be a rematch of the tournament’s opening fixture, which the report recalls Australia were fortunate to win.