Australia 46-0 Samoa: Kangaroos make World Cup semi-finals
By Ben Proe
Last Updated: 18/11/17 9:24am
Australian winger Valentine Holmes scored a World Cup-record five tries as Mal Meninga's men booked a date in the last four after shutting out Samoa 46-0.
It was Valentine's Day in steamy Darwin, Australian winger Holmes with a World Cup-record five tries as Mal Meninga's men booked a date in the last four after shutting out Samoa 46-0.
The hosts were up five tries to nil after the first period, Cronulla wing Holmes with a nine-minute double either side of a disallowed Dane Gagai effort - the second a sensational, 90-metre special following some brilliant work from Billy Slater to escape his own in-goal.
A quick-fire treble then put the clinical Kangaroos in half-time control either side of the half-hour mark; a nice catch and pass from Matt Gillett sent in Slater for a record-equalling fourteenth World Cup try, before North Queensland halfback Michael Morgan grabbed a four-minute double to make it 30-0 at the break.
The green-and-gold have yet to concede a second-half point in nine matches, and ran in three tries to nil after the interval.
All came from Holmes, who grabbed two more inside six minutes shortly before the hour-mark, before a sublime finish rewarded a superb David Klemmer break with six to go.
The holders are in ominous form ahead of a semi-final against the Kiwis or Fiji in Brisbane next Friday.
