Tuilagi leads the way

Hat-trick hero: Alesana Tuilagi runs in for his first try

Alesana Tuilagi crossed for a hat-trick as Samoa threw down a marker to their Pool D rivals with a 49-12 thumping of Namibia.

The Samoans simply had too much pace and power for the African minnows, with Wales, Fiji and the Springboks having been interested spectators of the performance.

Kahn Fotuali'i and Paul Williams also scored tries, while they were awarded a penalty try in the second half. Tusi Pisi added 10 points before limping off with Williams adding a further nine points from the boot.

There was some consolation for Namibia as Danie van Wyk and Theuns Kotze dived over in the second half.

Namibia had got off to the worst possible start when Fotuali'i scored after just 47 seconds. Namibia No.10 Kotze failed to find touch with his clearance, with Ospreys-bound Fotuali'i taking catch, shrugging off two tackles before out pacing the cover to score in the corner.

Pisi converted and then followed it up with a penalty eight minutes later.

Namibia responded well to test the Samoa defence - with van Wyk, Hugo Horn and the irrepressible Jacques Burger all making good yards.

However Samoa extended their lead further when great hands from Taiasina Tuifu'a released Tuilagi to coast in for a try. Pisi converted and added a second penalty to put Samoa 20-0 up.

There was a setback for Samoa when Pisi and Tuifu'a both hobbled off after 28 minutes, however there was no let-up in the scoring as Tuilagi bulldozered his way over in the corner.

Dangerous

The first half ended with Williams being sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Kotze, who had cut through the first line of the Samoa defence only to be taken out by the Samoa full-back.

Down to 14 men, Samoa seemed to lose their shape but they could have still extended their advantage when Maurie Fa'asavalu smashed through the Namibia defence and the resulting quick hands found Tuilagi free to dive over only for the try to be chalked off for a forward pass.

Back on the field, Williams slotted over a penalty and then added the extras as Tuilagi finally scored his hat-trick following good work by Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu.

There was redemption from Williams as he ghosted through for the fifth try, with a charging run from Fa'asavalu again providing the platform. Williams converted.

Namibia, though, finally got the try they deserved when Llewellyn Winkler caught his own chip and chase before releasing van Wyk to apply the finish.

However Rohan Kitshoff became the second player to be shown the yellow card for persistent offending - and with the extra man in the pack, Samoa turned the screw in the scrum and they were awarded a penalty try as the Namibia pack folded. Williams converted.

The Namibians had the final word, though, as Kotze scooted through to score a try, which the fly-half converted himself.