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PARIS - Samoa can still qualify for their third World Cup quarter-finals, claimed coach, and former All Black legend, Michael Jones despite his side's 59-7 hammering by South Africa in their opening game.
However, the 55-times capped backrow forward did ask for improved refereeing after New Zealander Paul Honiss was especially harsh on his side against the Springboks.
"We still believe we can qualify for the last eight but we have made it more difficult," admitted Jones, who scored the first ever World Cup try in 1987 in the only time that the All Blacks went on to win the Webb Ellis trophy.
Jones claimed that he had seen enough of his side's performance against South Africa to give him hope of beating England in Nantes on September 22.
"There were a lot of good areas there," said Jones.
"We showed in the first-half we can be a real threat at this World Cup if more refereeing decisions go our way which would be a help.
"It (the performance) was very positive. We have time to work on things.
"We believe in our potential. However, we are thinking first of Tonga, who are never easy," added Jones, who played one test for Western Samoa before transferring allegiance to the All Blacks.
Honiss's performance didn't please either Jones or most neutral observers.
Most of the decisions seemed to go against the Samoans including ruling out what could have proved a crucial second try early in the second-half which would have made it 21-14 to the Springboks.
Jones said he hoped referees weren't discriminating against smaller teams.
"I hope referees going into matches like these don't think that just because we are a lesser team we don't know the rules," said Jones.
Samoan captain Semo Sititi, though, had no doubt that Honiss had taken that attitude.
"Over the try (the disallowed one) I asked him to consult the video judge but instead he went with the touch judge (who claimed that it was offside)," said the 33-year-old Japan-based backrow forward.
"I was very disappointed with the referee. I told him two teams were playing, not one."
- AFP
