Tigers winger David Nofoaluma made the most of his familiar surroundings at Campbelltown Stadium, scoring four tries as Samoa easily saw off the Cook Islands on Saturday.
In the first game of an international double header, Samoa went into the game as heavy favourites – and proved the bookies correct almost instantly, beating the clock to 14 points.
After a brilliant one-handed pass from Josh Schuster, Taylan May had the opening try, before Nofoaluma got his first a couple of minutes later.
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When a kick dabbed into the in-goal wrong footed the Cook Islands defenders, it gave Izack Tago an absolute gift, and a 14-point lead in as many minutes.
Nofoaluma had his second after 20 minutes, before the only real sour note for the Samoans came via Josh Aloiai being helped from the field after a nasty head knock.
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The Manly prop got his head in the wrong place while trying to make a tackle, and didn’t return.
After half time the Cook Islands had their best spell for the evening, going close on several occasions before Rabbitohs young gun Davvy Moale got them on the scoreboard.
But any hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed in a two-minute blitz – first, Nofoaluma took an intercept and went almost the length of the field to score, before the following set ended in May getting his second.
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Josh Schuster went through the line and as the fullback charged towards him he kicked ahead, the only question being which Samoan chaser would get to the ball first – the Penrith winger being the answer.
Schuster would get another assist with the boot when providing Nofoaluma’s fourth, before Rabbitohs winger Jaxson Paulo capped off the scoring in the final minutes.
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