Overview

• Winning the Pacific Nations Cup fifth-place playoff gives the Eagles a direct spot and ends a five-match PNC losing run.
• Luke Carty created Toby Fricker’s opener and scored himself before late tries from captain Jason Damm and hooker Kaleb Geiger sealed the result.
• Territory kicking and repeated breakdown turnovers kept 14th-ranked Samoa under pressure as 19th-ranked USA pulled away after halftime.
• The victory returns the United States to the World Cup after missing 2023 and confirms participation in Australia 2027 and as 2031 host.
• Twenty-two of 24 places for Rugby World Cup 2027 are now confirmed, with Canada, Fiji, Japan and Tonga already qualified via the PNC.