Crichton Ropati hat-trick sends Samoa into first ever semi-final

A historic night for Fetu Samoa at WIN Stadium as a hat-trick from player of the match Freedom Crichton Ropati catapulted them into the World Cup semi-finals for the first time.

Playing at their first Women's World Cup since 2008, Samoa's 24-6 win over England sets up a semi-final showdown with the Kiwi Ferns in Newcastle.

Samoa got the scoring started in the ninth minute when a superb cut-out pass from Ivana Lolesio sent Crichton Ropati over in the right-hand corner.

Come the 18th minute and Samoa's teenage sensation was in again, this time courtesy of some slick work from Pauline Piliae-Rasabale and Tyra Ekepati.

On the back of 61 per cent of possession Samoa continued to mount enormous pressure and England's left edge cracked again in the 30th minute when Ekepati delivered for Crichton Ropati to complete her hat-trick.

Running with the wind in the second term England conceded an early try to Mercedez Taulelei-Siala before pulling one back through Evie Cousins, who endured a tough first half under the high ball but did a great job to score on the left edge.

A 40-30 from halfback Georgia Roche in the 47th minute handed England a golden opportunity to eat into the 10-point margin but they came up with an error and Samoa were off the hook.

After missing all four of her conversion attempts from wide out, Piliae-Rasabale gleefully accepted a penalty shot from in front in the 50th minute and Samoa had an 18-6 lead.

A dropped bomb by Crichton Ropati with eight minutes to play presented England the chance they were chasing but Fran Goldthorp's final pass to Anna Davies went forward and the moment was lost.

Samoa then iced their famous win when skipper Evania Isa'ako delivered a superb pass for a rampaging Fanua Rimoni to score under the sticks.

Frank Pritchard's team move on to face the Kiwi Ferns in a semi-final where they will look to centre Monica Tagoai for another big game after she produced 182 run metres and nine tackle breaks.

Fullback Destiny Mino-Sinapati (191 run metres) and bench forward Rimoni (13 runs for 132 metres) also stood tall as Samoa booked their ticket for a trip to McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle to face New Zealand.

For England captain Jodie Cunningham the loss was not the way she hoped to bow out after 38 Test matches and appearing at her fourth World Cup.