Va'a - one of the few good performers against Ireland

The Pacific Islanders have only played two internationals in 2003 due to crippling financial constraints.

In the first of those two fixtures Samoa were overwhelmed by an under-strength Irish side 40-14.

The home side were never in the running as influential fly-half Ronan O'Gara produced a match-winning 32-point display.

Rom Fanuatanu scored the only try of the first half after a blistering break from wing Lome Faatau.

But having turned around 9-7 in arrears the hosts rarely looked capable of matching the tourists.

FORM IN 2003 21 Jun: Samoa 14-40 Ireland 12 Jul: Namibia 18-40 Samoa

Ireland made light work of the suffocating heat, spreading the ball in scoring three tries, two from O'Gara.

There was scant consolation for Samoa when Earl Va'a sauntered through a tired Irish defence in the final minutes.

In their final warm-up game for their trip down under, the Samoans bounced back to easily defeat Namibia.

As early as the second minute, Brian Lima ran in Samoa's opening try.

By the interval, courtesy of the boot of Va'a and the first of three tries in the match by Dominic Feaunati, the visitors led by 18-3.

Although Feaunati added two more scores after the break, the two teams were much more evenly matched in the second 40 minutes, with Namibia running in two tries.