Manu Samoa team bows in prayer after their 31-12 loss to Chile on Sunday morning. Photo: Supplied/Manu Samoa
Chile secured their 2027 Rugby World Cup spot with a 31-12 win over Manu Samoa at the the Estadio Sausalito in Viña del Mar.
While the win sends the South American side to Australia, the loss means Samoa will have to go through the final qualification in November to try and claim their spot.
The match was a high-stakes re-match after a dramatic encounter the previous weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Chile squandered a 19-point lead, allowing Samoa to claw their way back to secure a 32-32 draw.
With Australia 2027 qualification on the line, Los Cóndores, led by Rugby World Cup veteran and captain Clemente Saavedra, had a huge party in a stadium washed in red.
The first half saw Chile go to the break with a 13 point advantage thanks to their courageous defence and to their capacity to turn into points the different opportunities Samoa gave them.
It was a game of two contrasting displays, with the Chileans just proving to have the upper hand, with ill-discipline and crucial basic errors at critical moments working against the islanders.
Winger Inaki Ayazar scored two tries, while Santiago Videla kicked the crucial points with his conversions and penalty attempts to guide the Chileans to their second consecutive Rugby World Cup.
They had done the same in 2022 when they defeated United States of America to claim their spot at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Manu Samoa's challenge was laid down by Alamanda Motunga before the game kicked off.
But they could not extend that on the field, with serious ill-discipline and basic error issues staring them in the face as they head to Dubai for their final attempt to win a spot in Australia.
Santiago Videla said it was an enormous effort from the players and the backing of fans gave them the urge to fight for their spot against the Samoans.
The 39-cap player said the win meant so much to them as players and their country, especially qualifying again for the World Cup.
Last weekend Samoa came from behind in the second half to claim a 32-all draw, but while they showed that same spirit in the second half on Sunday, they could not secure the points needed as Chile threw all their had into their defensive game when needed.
On field battle
Chile led 18-7 at halftime after Manu Samoa fought back in the last 10 minutes of the first half to score a try.
Chile claimed two tries in the first 40 minutes.
Samoan centre Melani Nanai ran in from out wide to score the crucial try, converted by flyhalf Martin Talapusi, to give them some hope as they headed towards the break.
And when Chile was red hot on attack after two consecutive penalties, the Samoans came up with a strong defensive rally, halfback Connor Tupa'I coming up with the ball, winning a penalty in the process in front of their own goalposts seconds after the halftime hooter had sounded.
But it was Samoa's ill-discipline that saw them give away 13 unanswered points in the first quarter of the clash, as Chile took all the opportunity that came their way.
That, coupled with basic handling errors, gave away possession and killed the momentum for the islander when they had the ball in hand and attacking hard towards the Chilean line.
A yellow card to number eight Abraham Papali'I in the 17th minute saw Samoa's attempts to get the game going go to waste.
Talapusi missed the chance to claim first points when his penalty kick attempt went wide after two minutes, following a penalty win with Chile ruled by referee Luke Pearce for not rolling away in a tackle.
Three minutes later, Chile got their first points on the board with inside centre Santiago Videla converting a penalty from inside the Samoan half.
Samoa showed some drive as their forward pack took play upfield but two crucial knock-ons from number eight Papali'I and lock forward Michael Curry saw the momentum killed twice.
In the same period the Samoans gave away three penalties from entering the rucks twice from the side and a head roll tackle on a Chile player.
Videla kicked his second successful penalty after Papali'I was sent off in the 17th minute before halfback Benjamin Videla scored, following a pass from livewire hooker Diego Escobar.
Santiago's conversion saw the side take a 13-0 lead.
In the 31st minute winger Inaki Ayarza touched down for Chile's second try after Samoan fullback Lolagi Visinia lost the ball backwards inside the try zone from a Nicolas Saab tackle.
Nanai scored his try to bring Samoa back into the game four minutes later.
Halftime: Chile 18 Samoa 7
Samoa controlled the plays in the first 20 minutes of the second half, with replacement Elisapeta Alofipo scoring in the 61st minute to draw the scoreline closer as Chile led 18-12.
But after that it was Chile all the way.
Santiago kicked two penalties, in the 63rd and 67th, and converted Ayarza's second try in the 78th minute.
Last chance
World Rugby said Samoa, who have featured in every Rugby World Cup since 1991, now have one last chance to reach Australia 2027 via the Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai from 8-18 November.
They join Belgium and Namibia with the winner of the Brazil-Paraguay two-leg play-off, set for 11 and 18 October in Asunción and São Paulo, to complete the four-team line-up.
Team manager Su'a Hesed Ieremia said from Vina del Mar before the game they were fielding a side that would feature some new players brought in after a number of players left for club contracts, while others were injured.
He said they expected Chile to be tough and knew their host would be gunning to win.
"Chile is very enthusiastic and patriotic country as well and playing in their backyard is not easy," he said on Friday.
"We might have taken the hard road, and pretty much got our backs against the wall, and there's no other way out but just to move forward."
Captain Michael Alaalatoa and senior players Henry Taefu, Iakopo Mapu and Marco Fepuleai had to leave to rejoin their clubs.
Out because of injury were Melani Matavao, Aki Seuili, Joel Lam and Luteru Tolai.
Others who also became unavailable were Malaesaili Elato (bereavement), Rodney Ioana (paternity) and Christian Leali'ifano.
Manu Samoa will now head home, with players rejoining their clubs, before they regroup in early November for their final attempt at world cup qualification.
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