Stephen Crichton "just had a cork", Samoa coach Ben Gardiner said, so Chanel Harris-Tavita took the goalkicking, landed one, missed a few and handed it on. A couple of others took knocks and get checked on 25 October, but Gardiner expects Samoa "good to go" for the next Test.
Ronald Volkman was backed but not named to replace Chanel Harris-Tavita if he misses Samoa's next Test. Ben Gardiner praised Volkman's energy and speed into the line off the bench against Tonga: "It doesn't matter who goes on." Gardiner gave no update on Harris-Tavita.