Reece Walsh hat-trick drives Australia past Samoa and into Rugby League World Cup final

Kangaroos beat Toa Samoa 44-12 at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium New Zealand await Australia in next weekend’s men’s final This was supposed to be Samoa’s chance to challenge the wilting Kangaroos, whose patchy recent performance made them appear vulnerable – to make up for the loss in the last World Cup final, when Australia kept Toa Samoa scoreless for much of that defeat at Old Trafford.

So when the famed Siva Tau, Samoa’s pre-match ritual, brought the Samoans and the Australians close enough to kiss, the anticipation for this semi-final could not have been higher; the match seemed almost certain to explode.

Read the original report at The Guardian.