Samoa puts Australia to shame as players cry during rousing national anthem – before Kangaroos hit back on the field in Rugby World Cup semi-final showdown

Published: 06:04 EDT, 8 November 2026 | Updated: 06:04 EDT, 8 November 2026

Samoan players have broken down in tears as the country’s National Anthem was played before the start of their semi-final match against the Kangaroos on Sunday night.

Footage showed Samoan team members getting emotional as they proudly sung along while hundreds of the Pacific nation’s flags were held up by the crowd at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

Some players were crying, with Ronald Volkman and Brian To’o in particular clearly emotionally overcome as Lapi Mariner, the father of player Deine Mariner, sang.

Australia’s National Anthem was performed expertly by opera and theatre singer Matilda Moran, but the reaction was a much more subdued affair, with many of the players not singing along.

The atmosphere soon became charged again, however, when the Samoans performed a fiery Siva Tau, the island’s version of the New Zealand Haka.

The spectacle ended with both teams staring down each other just inches apart on the field.

Samoan players, including Ronald Volkman, were overcome with emotion during the national anthem as they cried and sung along

Brian To’o has tears streaming down his face, though he might try to pass it off as the rain

Australian players were much more subdued during the national anthem

Both teams were vying for a place in the Rugby World Cup final decider with New Zealand next weekend.

However, it was Australia that led the game from early on with tries from Tom Dearden, Jacob Preston, Tom Trbojevic and Reece Walsh, who celebrated with a flamboyant on-field backflip.

Samoa fought back in the second half with a converted try from Stephen Crichton.

But two more converted tries from Reece Walsh, making it a hat-trick, appeared to seal the deal for the Aussies.

The score was at 38-12 to Australia at the 70th minute.

More to follow.