Samoa celebrate their Rugby League World Cup semi-final win over England Photo: SWPix / www.photoport.nz
Samoan fans around the world are preparing for parades and celebrations ahead of the Rugby League World Cup showdown between Toa Samoa and Australia's Kangaroos.
Toa Samoa enters Old Trafford in Manchester early on Sunday morning as the first Pacific Island nation to qualify for a Rugby League World Cup final.
Their electrifying 27-26 victory over England in the semi-final has made Toa Samoa fans more ambitious, with many confident their team can pull off an upset against Australia.
Alf Filipaina Photo: Stuff / Ricky Wilson via LDR
"It's the pride that we're seeing with the people out there celebrating with so many of our Pacific brothers, it's massive," Manukau councillor and Samoan community leader in Auckland, Alf Filipaina said.
"This is very significant, not only for Toa but for Pacific sport in general."
Toa Samoa had already exceeded expectations by qualifying for the last four with bookmakers predicting an easy win for England who had thrashed the same Samoan team 60-6 in the World Cup opener just a month ago.
The semi-final game had a dramatic ending with Toa Samoa centre Stephen Crichton winning the game in extra-time with a drop goal from more than 30 metres out from the English line.
The Golden Point
— Rugby League World Cup 2021 (@RLWC2021) November 16, 2022
Stephen Crichton talks us through the drop goal that wrote his name into rugby league history.
Samoa will play in their first ever Rugby League World Cup final on Saturday – can the side produce more heroics to lift the trophy at Old Trafford?#RLWC2021 pic.twitter.com/Q7dLsozFNG
"I screamed. I got off my chair and I just yelled and yelled," Filipaina, who watched the game live from his home in Auckland early Sunday morning, said.
"I can tell you now, I don't think they would have imagined the Rugby League World Cup grand-final. I don't think they ever imagined that would happen.
"I think it's the pride that they now have that makes the difference, especially after the English win.
"One of my first thoughts went to my late brother, Olsen (Filipaina), who played for the Kiwis and then Toa Samoa towards the end of his career."
Afifio mai tatou lagolago le Toa Samoa (Come and support Toa Samoa)
Samoa fans celebrating in Ōtara in South Auckland after Samoa stunned hosts England to reach the Rugby League World Cup final with a Golden Point victory in extra time after a semi-final had ended 26-26. Photo: RNZ / Carol Stiles
The week of parades and celebrations by fanatical Samoan fans in Aotearoa is to continue into the lead-up to the grand-final this weekend.
There are two events planned in Auckland, one in Māngere on Saturday afternoon between 2pm and 5pm, and the other in Ōtara, early Sunday morning - between 3.30am and 9.30am there will be a large screen live-streaming the full game in the carpark behind Ōtara Town Centre.
In Whanganui, New Plymouth, Tokoroa, Taranaki, Levin, Wairarapa, Napier, Porirua, Lower Hutt, Masterton, Christchurch and Dunedin car parades, marches and family friendly events are also being planned.
In the Pacific, events will also take place in Samoa, American Samoa, the Cook Islands and Honolulu.
In Australia rallies will take place in Canberra, Melbourne, Queensland, Perth, Darwin and Sydney.
And in the US, Samoans will gather in Washington state, California and Las Vegas to celebrate Toa Samoa.
There will also be a Toa Samoa and Mate Ma'a Tonga parade in the Bay Area in San Franscico.
