:00:42. > :00:50.Welcome to highlights of the Rugby League World Cup. Our feature match
:00:51. > :00:53.is France versus Samoa, the last game in the group stages. The
:00:54. > :00:58.outcome of this one will determine England's quarterfinal opponents.
:00:59. > :01:04.So far, France have scored just one try in the tournament - fewer than
:01:05. > :01:07.any other team. That was in their narrow win against Papua New Guinea
:01:08. > :01:12.in the first match, beforing soundly beaten by New Zealand in their
:01:13. > :01:14.second group game. Samoa have provided the toughest test for New
:01:15. > :01:20.Zealand so far. They lost to the Kiwis with a good
:01:21. > :01:38.win over Papua New Guinea in the second game. For the
:01:39. > :01:43.win over Papua New Guinea in the up against. And all of this on
:01:44. > :01:55.Armistice Day, where we will observe a minute's silence. We are so
:01:56. > :01:59.enormously grateful. (silence) To
:02:00. > :02:04.those who served, they will never be forgotten.
:02:05. > :02:55.The captaincy had been a bit of a poisonous Chancellor has as we
:02:56. > :03:07.confirm the line-up. Soliola and then but up quickly is
:03:08. > :03:12.Pelissier. The fans are cheering, hearing in
:03:13. > :03:28.Perpignon. Roberts dishes up a short ball.
:03:29. > :03:34.Now for Vido, big, strong, and unstoppable. He just went straight
:03:35. > :03:39.over the top of William Bartou on that left side, and Vido scores the
:03:40. > :04:02.first try of the night for Samoa. They push it over to the left,
:04:03. > :04:07.first try of the night for Samoa. realises he's got Bartou coming on
:04:08. > :04:12.to him. Samoan team worked it on the left, finished it on the right.
:04:13. > :04:16.Fortuitous with the long pass. What do you aim at tonight? This sort of
:04:17. > :04:22.breeze, the ball is wobbly on the kicking tea. What is the strategy
:04:23. > :04:28.for kicking yourself? He's going to go left post and ride it back
:04:29. > :04:32.against its short-termal shape. See if he can somewhat reverse kick it
:04:33. > :04:41.back in. There is the kick. He got it. It's blowing straight through
:04:42. > :04:50.the middle! He has a beautiful ball away.
:04:51. > :05:09.Vidot will be penalised. Late hit, in fact.
:05:10. > :05:16.the shot. You are a villain here in Perpignon.
:05:17. > :05:22.You should wear the black cloak! Always worse in slow motion.
:05:23. > :05:40.He has been called out now. He did some damage to some damage Bartou
:05:41. > :05:47.Here we with France. Big night for Casty. Back left side, and the ball
:05:48. > :05:52.comes loose. They had an opportunity! Bartou has gone down as
:05:53. > :05:55.well. This is getting lively. They're all up on their feet here in
:05:56. > :05:58.Perpignon. That was a brave play, because he
:05:59. > :06:25.wore it the last time. has still got most of them intact?
:06:26. > :06:35.There goes the little bloke again. Pelissier.
:06:36. > :06:36.Nine minutes There goes the little bloke again.
:06:37. > :06:39.Pelissier. Nine minutes away from the line. --
:06:40. > :06:45.nine metres away from the line. Play on. It's going to bounce up igh.
:06:46. > :07:06.They made an absolute meal of it. What about tha D Duport. Oh, la, la,
:07:07. > :07:10.what about this. La poop happens! He just required the one or the one
:07:11. > :07:35.set of He just required the one or the one
:07:36. > :07:41.got him front on. This crowd, they're nice and cosy
:07:42. > :07:51.here tonight, cool and windy in Perpignon, but nice - on the field
:07:52. > :08:00.there is another big tackle. Tackle.
:08:01. > :08:04.. 25 metres away from the line. 060 score line. Running to the half, and
:08:05. > :08:09.he has stolen a penalty. The French - there is harm's up. The crowd is
:08:10. > :08:13.up again. Just come on the field. Cops his
:08:14. > :08:15.shoulder in a shot to start with, and then slammed into the ground.
:08:16. > :08:40.This is the tackle that. Happy?
:08:41. > :08:44.Ten on the line for Samoa. The French team are under pressure
:08:45. > :08:55.again. They trail by six. Milford is up there. Milford this time elects
:08:56. > :09:01.to go short to Amel. Could have been offside just about. So the French
:09:02. > :09:04.look at how farther. Look at this. Great defence from the French. High
:09:05. > :09:08.fives all round. They've come from the wing as well. All 13 players
:09:09. > :09:15.want to congratulate each other for that. Even Henry give them a
:09:16. > :09:25.want to congratulate each other for Soliola. No hole there.
:09:26. > :09:27.Simon held up by the defence. Pelissier is in that dummy half
:09:28. > :09:47.position again ready to send them off on their way.
:09:48. > :09:55.position again ready to send them The body shot.
:09:56. > :10:02., this crowd is going off here. This is a big call to make.
:10:03. > :10:12.There it is. The sin-bin is in play, and it is repeated infringements. It
:10:13. > :10:22.is not that incident in isolation. Mssoe cops it. It is a great scene
:10:23. > :10:26.here at the Rugby League World Cup. The back of a wonderful crowd at
:10:27. > :10:32.Halifax yesterday, one of the traditional grounds.
:10:33. > :10:38.It's a feel-good tournament this one, if you're a Rugby League fan.
:10:39. > :10:57.He scores. Morgan, beautiful footwork, straightens
:10:58. > :11:03.The French make the most of it. Watch the work of Vidot. Gets a good
:11:04. > :11:10.quick pass away, and then popping up on the right-wing.
:11:11. > :11:18.Lovely little hand, flat attack, good footwork.
:11:19. > :11:25.23 test matches for Thomas Bosc. He is successful.
:11:26. > :11:32.So what - 32 and a half minutes gone. A 6-6 score line. Baile played
:11:33. > :11:38.his part, and the fullback, well, he deserves the try, doesn't he? Just
:11:39. > :11:42.keep an eye on the clock in this se 42 metres from the France line.
:11:43. > :11:48.Soliola to set afield. He has had a big first half in
:11:49. > :12:07.attacking the defence, the captain for Samoa. They
:12:08. > :12:14.attacking the defence, the captain Another step and swerve. Links up -
:12:15. > :12:25.yes, he has put on his back. Thackery gets the shot. The ball com
:12:26. > :12:31.for A Amel -- ball comes for Ah Mau: Roberts, he has thrown it forward. A
:12:32. > :12:43.great little double round. Plays a bit of basketball out the back. What
:12:44. > :12:47.a first half here in Perpignon. This ball short on. And good tackle
:12:48. > :13:19.gets him to ground. And out try.
:13:20. > :13:23.God knows they're a creative player. When he steps away and gives the
:13:24. > :13:29.football out, he finds this man is quite breathtaking in the footwork
:13:30. > :13:34.ofantmy mill -- of Anthony mill I said. Squeezes himself through. Just
:13:35. > :13:41.a -- Milford. Then it steps through the left, opens up, shoots off his
:13:42. > :13:45.right. Milford kicking into the wonderful
:13:46. > :13:49.stand and then into the ground. You wonder if he is a full back or
:13:50. > :13:56.whether the half position is going to be as come. You see him hunt up
:13:57. > :14:01.around the middle. He can't coach that. Full set to work with here. 15
:14:02. > :14:26.minutes into the second half. Maybe they're going to try
:14:27. > :14:36.next to score. They want to lock it up at St 12. On it comes, Baile. He
:14:37. > :14:44.has got it down. He has got up, he thinks the try, Baile.
:14:45. > :14:52.We can't you any closer than this, can we? What do you reckon? No try,
:14:53. > :15:01.I don't know. It's no try. It's France's turn to defend, as we
:15:02. > :15:05.get up to the final quarter of the match. This is Ah Mau. Right now, we
:15:06. > :15:12.begin the last quarter of what has been an absolutely absorbing game.
:15:13. > :15:15.Scored for Samoa. Again, they will check it with the
:15:16. > :15:38.video referee. with the right hand.
:15:39. > :15:43.Milford who landed one from the side early, he is unsuccessful there.
:15:44. > :15:48.Let's have a look, good work from dummy half. Shows the tip-on from
:15:49. > :15:53.Soliola. That is the work I was talking about. Loves the right-hand
:15:54. > :16:00.carry and therefore can get himself in a position where he gets the ball
:16:01. > :16:09.around. Here they go right through the
:16:10. > :16:12.centre. He has angle-tapped. Still on.
:16:13. > :16:15.Escare gets the ball. Tries to come back in field. Ten away from the
:16:16. > :16:20.line. He was looming. They couldn't get the ball.
:16:21. > :16:25.Eight eight minutes to go. Green shields big overlap. Bosc knows it.
:16:26. > :16:44.Out it comes, stepping shields big overlap. Bosc knows it.
:16:45. > :16:57.going to get there, and, Ah Mau comes up with a tackle.
:16:58. > :17:02.Six to go, so this city founded in the tenth century is having one of
:17:03. > :17:07.its best nights of Rugby League. Why didn't they get on to the Rugby
:17:08. > :17:11.League in the medieval days. It would have been the world game by
:17:12. > :17:17.now. They would have loved it now. They would have gun out with axes.
:17:18. > :17:30.That would have been good to watch. The ball is with Godinet. Power
:17:31. > :17:35.played the score. It had to happen. Samoa have finished off the night
:17:36. > :17:55.with an exclamation mark, and they have their fourth try,
:17:56. > :18:01.with an exclamation mark, and they dummy half again. Morrs picks up the
:18:02. > :18:05.try. Tar They are a very good team, certainly showed good attack. I am
:18:06. > :18:09.immensely proud of the boys, the way they defended and the way they
:18:10. > :18:14.worked for one another. I thought we had enough opportunity to win the
:18:15. > :18:17.game three times. I thought we had what looked like certain strikes I
:18:18. > :18:22.thought our skill level and our execution, and the wasted plays that
:18:23. > :18:24.we had in the final third of the field didn't warrant us winning the
:18:25. > :18:28.game. The French boys were really strong through the middle. We know
:18:29. > :18:32.we had a good forward pack, and we had to stick it to them. Happily
:18:33. > :18:36.enough we came back with a win. Another hugely enjoyable game to
:18:37. > :18:39.watch. Another one off the conveyor-belt of this great World
:18:40. > :18:43.Cup, and a missed opportunity for the French, and what about the
:18:44. > :19:04.Samoan defence. We often talk about their great attack, but they bent
:19:05. > :19:13.have guys up for disciplinary hearings this week. I think Almal -
:19:14. > :19:17.I think Ah Mau are in potential trouble. But this is the way the
:19:18. > :19:26.Samoans defend aggressively. These things happen in a contact sport.
:19:27. > :19:30.He's a big guy, and he's trying to be aggressive. Samoa all day were
:19:31. > :19:34.aggressive but had great attention to detail with the defence, and that
:19:35. > :19:40.will be encouraging for Samoa going into the next land. They will need a
:19:41. > :19:44.decent lawyer because four will be queuing up at the RFL. Two have a
:19:45. > :19:47.case to answer, definitely. So we know now that England will play
:19:48. > :19:52.France in their quarterfinal. This is how the two teams got there. It
:19:53. > :19:55.does smack, though, that France have scored just two tries so far in this
:19:56. > :19:56.competition. They've got to sort out that, haven't
:19:57. > :20:15.competition. They've got to sort out thought Roberts their half really
:20:16. > :20:21.created some opportunities, and so the French have to find some way of
:20:22. > :20:25.getting over the line. They've gone from south to north, where they need
:20:26. > :20:32.to be, but just lack a little bit of flair on the fringes. They are
:20:33. > :20:36.getting into the right positions. They are giving that go-forward and
:20:37. > :20:41.not dealing with it off the back of it. Remi has highlighted that he
:20:42. > :20:45.does some of the little attributes in the game very well. He's an
:20:46. > :20:48.aggressive guy, he takes the ball into the teeth of the defences and
:20:49. > :20:54.gets the French team rolling forward. As Brian alluded to, the
:20:55. > :20:57.issue is once Remy does these kind of plays where he finds an inside
:20:58. > :21:01.shoulder, off-loads the ball, the French execution off the back of
:21:02. > :21:05.that clearly isn't good enough at the moment. I think what is really
:21:06. > :21:24.encouraging is France today through Casti
:21:25. > :21:31.encouraging is France today through a couple went to Jean Phillipe.
:21:32. > :21:34.Let's not take what Vidot did on the wing for Samoa, he picked Baile up
:21:35. > :21:38.not to get the ball down. Again, I remind you what the French can take
:21:39. > :21:43.away was that that was a really committed Samoan team. They come up
:21:44. > :21:49.against England and the talisman has been Sam Burgess. He hasn't played
:21:50. > :21:55.for a while. We've been talking about him a lot. The reason is his
:21:56. > :21:58.aggression, his physicality, and his work rate, and his attitude towards
:21:59. > :22:03.the game. He inspires others around him with his work ethic and
:22:04. > :22:06.attitude. For me, a talisman can be a couple of things: a physically
:22:07. > :22:09.imposing player who changes the game, or, like Sam does with his
:22:10. > :22:13.attitude and attention to detail, and create opportunities to get the
:22:14. > :22:32.ball back with his defence, and be aggressive on his team-mate there.
:22:33. > :22:35.ball back with his defence, and be tissuely. But, boy, can he play. He
:22:36. > :22:40.is a smart player. He knows how and when to play. When you look at his
:22:41. > :22:43.stats, what is special about him? I think metres for the start. Every
:22:44. > :22:48.carry he takes, he's making about eig or nine metres, and for a front
:22:49. > :22:51.rower in the modern game, that is fantastic. When he is taking this,
:22:52. > :22:56.he is punching through the line, creating space, and creating an
:22:57. > :22:59.unstructured ruck that usually creates in quick play of the balls.
:23:00. > :23:04.We were talking about Sam's ability to play all styles of rugby. A lot
:23:05. > :23:08.of the direct stuff that England do well is off the back of Sam Burgess.
:23:09. > :23:11.The first one of the quarterfinals, it is Scotland who has been one of
:23:12. > :23:13.the stories of the tournament, unbeaten in the tournament against
:23:14. > :23:16.another unbeaten team in the champions New Zealand. It's going to
:23:17. > :23:21.be tough for them. Danny Brough is going to be key if they're to gain
:23:22. > :23:25.anything out of this, are not they? We are underestimating the Scots a
:23:26. > :23:25.little bit. Don't get me wrong, the magnitude
:23:26. > :23:44.little bit. Don't get me wrong, the as what they have. I think they've
:23:45. > :23:48.been a great story, the challenge is coming out of the group they've been
:23:49. > :23:50.in to play big boy now in New Zealand. That is the challenge. It's
:23:51. > :23:55.a different level of performance needed from Brough from Henderson,
:23:56. > :23:59.and Wallace to take them on. They rocked Tonga in the first game which
:24:00. > :24:02.got them to the quarterfinal. They have a similar challenges. They've
:24:03. > :24:06.got nothing to lose, and it's going to be a great atmosphere. We talked
:24:07. > :24:11.a lot about Williams, but New Zealand, it is a big strong team,
:24:12. > :24:17.the guy that moved them around is Isaac Luke. How do you think he has
:24:18. > :24:23.come on. His decision-making in the World Cup is fabulous. I would love
:24:24. > :24:27.to play against him in that mood, but his decisions have went wrong
:24:28. > :24:30.and went to parks but I think in this tournament, it's the best I've
:24:31. > :24:34.seen him. He picks off some tired defenders when he needs to there as
:24:35. > :24:52.we've seen, pushing through, and he also knows when to pass
:24:53. > :24:53.we've seen, pushing through, and he right times. 480 metres he has run
:24:54. > :24:57.for in the tournament which is fantastic. The other story is the
:24:58. > :24:59.USA Tomahawks. They take on our Australia. That's going to be a
:25:00. > :25:02.really tough one for them, but they've just had a wonderful
:25:03. > :25:07.tournament, haven't they? Do you know what, they deserve it. They
:25:08. > :25:11.played with well in the games I've seen, and they've come from nowhere.
:25:12. > :25:14.We've been talking about Italy, and we've been talking about the USA,
:25:15. > :25:18.the Tomahawks. When they've played, they've played with well. They
:25:19. > :25:22.defended - they ran out of juice against Scotland and probably would
:25:23. > :25:25.have got closer to the Scotland team the other night. I think they've got
:25:26. > :25:30.cracking players, and Australia will get it their own way. Ironically,
:25:31. > :25:34.one of the players for Australia, certainly in the last games has been
:25:35. > :25:40.Cherry-Evans the strength and depth is that that he might not get a
:25:41. > :26:01.game. He has been fantastic. As a half back,
:26:02. > :26:04.game. He has been fantastic. As a that is the scary thing is that he
:26:05. > :26:07.would get in most of the teams in the World Cup, and he's going to
:26:08. > :26:14.struggle to get in the Australian team. The last quarterfinal is
:26:15. > :26:20.probably the toughest to call, Fiji-Samoa. Samoa might be minus a
:26:21. > :26:23.few players. We want to see the best players on deck. I am salivating
:26:24. > :26:26.now. That's going to be a great game. Those two island nations going
:26:27. > :26:31.against each other. It won't lack the element of physicality, will it?
:26:32. > :26:37.They both play the same way, both go forward and straight. One thing I
:26:38. > :26:41.noticed, doing the coverage on the England-Fiji game last week, the
:26:42. > :26:46.limited shape Fiji have. That leads itself to a physical game. Samoa
:26:47. > :26:51.relish that situation as well, so I expect to see two big forward packs
:26:52. > :26:53.hitting it out. We've got some big backs in that game. It is set up at
:26:54. > :27:12.Warrington to be backs in that game. It is set up at
:27:13. > :27:16.each other. I think the halves of Samoa are probably of better quality
:27:17. > :27:19.than Fiji. For you? I think it is going to be really close. I think
:27:20. > :27:22.with Samoa having a couple of players potentially in trouble this
:27:23. > :27:26.week, I think that brings them back down on to a level with Fiji. It's
:27:27. > :27:30.going to be really close but aggressive and intense, all the
:27:31. > :27:36.things that we've seen through every game in the World Cup should be
:27:37. > :27:39.exemplified in that. So this is the quarterfinal line-up in full.
:27:40. > :27:42.Scotland take on t champions New Zealand on Friday night, it is
:27:43. > :27:47.Australia against the USA Tomahawks followed by England versus France on
:27:48. > :27:52.Saturday. And on Sunday, Samoa face Fiji. There is live commentary on
:27:53. > :27:57.all of the quarterfinals on Radio five Live sports Extra. We will
:27:58. > :28:00.start our build-up on Saturday, shortly after five o'clock on BBC
:28:01. > :28:21.two. shortly after five o'clock on BBC
:28:22. > :28:27.Your weekend wouldn't be complete without making a date for the
:28:28. > :28:34.highlights show next Sunday on BBC Two: Eight
:28:35. > :28:38.we started with 14 teams, now we're down to eight. The next time we meet
:28:39. > :28:39.you, we will be down to the final four.
:28:40. > :28:45.See you next week. Goodbye.