Tonga have outmuscled Samoa 32-18 in Saturday's Rugby League World Cup pool match in Hamilton. With all the talk surrounding the men in red following all their big-name inclusions, there is an air of expectation on them, and although they tried to talk themselves down against their Pacific rivals going into the clash, they didn't play like it on the paddock, powering to a 26-6 lead at the hour, before Samoa came back too late.

Centre Michael Jennings bagged a first-half double before reserves Peni Terepo and Ben Murdoch-Masila finished off the job, rendering a second-half Samoan fightback in vain.