Samoa storm past Wales to claim record-breaking victory

Fetu Samoa have their eye on a historic IRL Rugby League World Cup semi-final berth after soaring to a record-breaking win over Wales on Friday night. 

Powerful forward Amber Hall ran rampant and Tyra Ekepati scored a hat-trick on debut as Samoa piled on the points at CommBank Stadium to claim a 76-0 victory.

Frank Pritchard's side will now travel to Wollongong to face England next Friday night. Should the Jillaroos defeat England in Perth on Saturday, the WIN Stadium showdown will be a must-win playoff for a spot in the semi-finals. 

Samoa have never progressed to the final four at a Women's World Cup but Friday's performance shows they have talent spread across the park.

Having pushed the Jillaroos last weekend, next Friday's clash with England shapes as a high-quality tussle with everything on the line.

Hall was named player of the match and set the tone up front, scoring a try, breaking nine tackles and running for 108 metres to put her team on the front foot.

Destiny Mino-Sinapati and Mercedez Taulelei-Siala each scored doubles, while Laikha Clarke, Ivana Lolesio, Evania Isa'ako, Monica Tagoai, Freedom Crichton Ropati and Tavarna Papalii also crossed the tryline. 

The 76 points was Samoa's most in a women's international rugby league match, eclipsing the 52 scored against Russia at the 2008 World Cup. 

Halfback Pauline Piliae-Rasabale also set the national record for most goals in a match with 10 conversions.

Wales started the match on top and had a number of early opportunities to strike but were unable to break down the Samoan defensive wall. 

Clarke opened the scoring in the ninth minute and from there it was one-way traffic. 

Samoa ran in seven tries to lead 40-0 at half-time and kept the foot on the accelerator after the break to send a warning to their competition rivals.

Pritchard's side added seven more tries in the second half, with Papalii putting an exclamation mark on a historic victory when she crossed in the 69th minute.