Verified: November 8, 2026, at 1:07 p.m. UTC.
Australia defeated Samoa 44-12 in the men’s Rugby League World Cup semifinal at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on November 8, 2026, booking a final against New Zealand. Reece Walsh scored three tries as the Kangaroos built a 26-2 halftime lead and ended Samoa’s bid to reach a second consecutive final.
The result can be easy to confuse with the teams’ previous World Cup meeting: Australia beat Samoa 30-10 in the final at Old Trafford in 2022. This time, their meeting was one round earlier. The 2026 men’s final is scheduled for November 15 in Brisbane, although official listings checked for this article disagree on its kickoff time.
Destaques
Samoa scored first through a Stephen Crichton penalty, but Australia took control before halftime. The Kangaroos led 26-2 at the break and responded when Samoa scored early in the second half. Crichton and Izack Tago scored tries for Samoa, while Australia continued to find answers in attack.
Walsh’s three tries were central to the win. Jack Bostock also crossed late as Australia finished with 44 points. The NRL match report records an attendance of 41,259 at Allianz Stadium and describes the victory as Australia’s sixth win in six meetings with Samoa.
The semifinal was played on Sunday, November 8, with a scheduled kickoff of 8:05 p.m. Sydney time, Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT, UTC+11:00), or 9:05 a.m. UTC. The International Rugby League match listing confirms the venue and scheduled Sydney kickoff.
Australia will face New Zealand, which beat Tonga 34-10 in the other men’s semifinal. The final is scheduled for Sunday, November 15, at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The Kangaroos and Kiwis have already met once in this tournament: Australia won their opening group match 24-22.
That close opening result gives the final an immediate point of reference, but it does not settle the rematch. A knockout game can turn on field position, errors and the teams available on the day. Supporters should check the final team announcements closer to kickoff rather than assume the semifinal lineups will be unchanged.
The kickoff needs another check. The Australian broadcaster’s 7plus tournament schedule lists the men’s grand final at 7:35 p.m. AEDT on November 15. That corresponds to 6:35 p.m. in Brisbane, Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST, UTC+10:00), and 8:35 a.m. UTC. Brisbane does not observe daylight saving time in November.
However, the International Rugby League fixtures page lists the men’s final at 20:05. Because the two official listings do not match, treat the exact kickoff as unconfirmed until organizers reconcile them. The date, Brisbane venue and finalists are clearer than the time in the sources checked.
Seven and 7plus have Australian coverage of the tournament. The international federation’s broadcast announcement provides the broader rights information, while 7plus publishes its schedule. Its final listing had detailed schedule information marked as to be confirmed when checked, so viewers should look again for their local channel and coverage start time.
Coverage start times and kickoff are different: a broadcast may begin with pregame analysis before the match starts. Fans planning to attend should also check the organizer’s latest event information before traveling, particularly while the published kickoff listings differ.
Their men’s final was played at Old Trafford in Manchester on November 19, 2022. Australia won 30-10, scoring six tries to Samoa’s two. James Tedesco and Latrell Mitchell each scored twice for the Kangaroos, according to the NRL’s final report.
That match was significant for Samoa even in defeat. The team became the first Pacific nation to reach a men’s Rugby League World Cup final, having beaten England in a dramatic semifinal. International Rugby League’s 2022 annual report records both that achievement and the final result.
For Samoa, the 2026 semifinal defeat means there will be no repeat final appearance this time. For Australia, the win keeps its title defense alive and sets up another trans-Tasman decider. The outcome against New Zealand remains to be decided on the field.
No. Australia’s 44-12 win over Samoa on November 8, 2026, was a semifinal. The teams did meet in the 2022 final.
Australia won 30-10 at Old Trafford in Manchester.
It is scheduled for Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on November 15, with Australia facing New Zealand. Check the latest official listing for the confirmed kickoff time.
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