The greatest moments in Samoan rugby

Samoa celebrate beating the Wallabies in 2011. Photo / Getty

Samoan rugby supporters have endured an up and down ride for many years as they battled the game's heavyweights and issues such as getting players released from professional clubs. Scorelines have wavered between the sublime and the ridiculous.

We look at four of their greatest days as they attempt to take the biggest scalp of all - the All Blacks.

Samoa 16, Wales 13. Cardiff, 1991 (World Cup)
Samoa's breakout performance. If they don't beat the All Blacks, this will remain the most glorious day in their rugby history, coming four years after they were outrageously snubbed having not been invited to the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand.

The renowned British sportswriter Frank Keating described it thus: "In its long history the Arms Park cannot have witnessed such a sustained and devastating display of tackling. Time and again ball-carrying Welshmen at full pelt were clobbered amidships and thundered back a yard or more."

This was a signal that rugby's old order was under threat, the first time a seeded team had been tipped over by a so called outsider. As to the magnitude of the upset, fair to say that rugby aficionados on this side of the world were better acquainted with what Samoa were capable of. Not that they got their dues here.

After the game, the late Peter Fatialofa - the Samoan captain - said: "Very few rugby-playing countries have visited us in our history. Hopefully, after today's result, many more teams will come to play us." Welsh supporters were heard to joke "luckily we didn't play all of Samoa" - reference to the team's name of Western Samoa at the time.

Samoa 34, Wales 9. Moamoa, 1994
With Apia Park damaged by cyclones, the game was played at nearby Moamoa where a strong Welsh side was obliterated by the Peter Fatialofa-led Samoans, with the feared hitman Brian Lima scoring twice. Wales were limited to three Neil Jenkins penalties. A Samoan family named their newborn baby Wales Manu Samoa 9-34 Moamoa Gale in honour of the achievement. The kid apparently loved his name to the point that he grew up supporting Wales.

Samoa 38, Wales 31. Cardiff, 1999 (World Cup)
Oh no, not again. More Welsh angst and a third consecutive loss to Samoa. Coached by Graham Henry, Wales were on a glorious winning run that included the scalps of South Africa, England and France. But despite a dominant scrum, they were brought crashing down by a Manu Samoa team which had played the powerful Argentinians just four days earlier. Fullback Silao Leaega scored 18 points. In an era of different eligibility rules, Samoa included All Blacks Pat Lam, Va'aiga Tuigamala and Stephen Bachop. Snap for Wales, who had Shane Howarth at fullback which only led to further embarrassment for the team in red. Howarth and fellow Kiwi Brett Sinkinson were later ruled to have been ineligible to play for Wales in the first place. With the Samoan team having dropped Western from their name, at least Welsh supporters could jest they had lost to all of Samoa this time.

Samoa 32, Australia 23. Sydney, 2011
Aussie wing Rod Davies, making his test debut, might still be feeling the bruises inflicted by his giant opposite Alesani Tuilagi. He wasn't the only one obliterated by the hard hitting Samoans. The Robbie Deans-coached Wallabies were stunned, as were most in the 30,000 crowd. The Samoan players celebrated with a stirring Manu Siva Tau after the game and Davies gave credit to Tuilagi saying "the only way is up from here". He has never played for the Wallabies again.