This time it was New Zealand who narrowly avoided blushes in the week after they upset favourites Australia to put themselves in the box seat for a finals spot.
It took a Shaun Kenny-Dowall try five minutes from full-time for the Kiwis to snatch a 14-12 result to keep a perfect if not emphatic record in the Four Nations after two games.
Samoa, who beat Fijji in a qualifier to make claim the final place in the tournament against rugby league’s powerhouses, took a 8-6 lead into the break against the 2008 World Cup winners and 2010 Four Nations champs.
Unconverted tries from Tautau Moga and Daniel Vidot bettered Kieran Foran’s converted try, and one of those conversions would have meant at least a draw.
Joey Leilua crossed again to give Samoa a buffer, but when Jason Nightingale found the like a cliffhanger was assured.
Kenny-Dowall’s try denied Samoa their first win over a major nation in the code after last week’s 32-26 thriller loss to England.
England take on Australia on Sunday.
Image via Getty
