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Alesana Tuilagi celebrates (R) - Source: Photosport -
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The nation of Samoa is filled with hope for the Rugby World Cup following Sunday's historic 32-23 upset of the Wallabies in Sydney.
While Wallabies coach Robbie Deans faces the backlash from one of Australia's worst ever results in a Test match, the island nation is still celebrating what many believe to be its finest hour.
Only one word was needed to headline the result in a local newspaper - it simply read "Victory".
ONE News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has just spent time there with All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu, and said the win has come at the best possible time for Manu Samoa.
"This is a huge boost their team has not performed so well of late. They were in the IRB Pacific Nations Cup in Fiji recently and lost to Fiji and Tonga, so this win has given the boys a much needed boost for the World Cup," she told TV ONE's Breakfast this morning.
The win gives the side confidence with the Rugby World Cup under two months away, however they will need it as they must overcome a so-called 'pool of death' in order to progress past the group stage of the tournament.
With South Africa odds-on to top the group, Samoa will be left to fight it out for the second quarter-final spot with Fiji and Wales, while Namibia are likely to struggle.
History may be on the side of Samoa, having famously beaten Wales in the 1991 tournament and again in 1999, and Dreaver said a rematch is now at the forefront of the Samoan side's mind.
"They have to beat Wales in their round, and the feeling is they can do but they have to be focused. I think Michael Jones described it as 'when they've got their tails up they do really well', so that's what's got to happen."
Dreaver said talk Australia had controversially fielded a B team wasn't holding much water with Samoa.
"The Samoans aren't having a bar of that," she said. "You put in a good team and you don't underestimate the Samoans and that's exactly what happened and I'm told that's actually what got them quite riled at the beginning of the game. They wanted a good game and they made sure the Aussies got one."
Last week All Black legend Jonah Lomu visited Samoa along with
Tonga and the Cook Islands in his capacity as a Rugby World Cup
ambassador, holding training sessions with local players.
Dreaver said Lomu had been impressed with what he had seen from the
youngsters coming through in the islands.
"Jonah Lomu said to me the one thing he doesn't have to teach the Samoans is how to tackle.
"You'd see the boys standing there and Jonah says they've got the natural skills but it's the technical side [needs work].
"So he would give them specific tips and you would see the light cross their faces and they would clap him and say 'thank you, thank you'.
"He's saying this is what is really needed. We need top players who are Samoans or from other islands going back and showing them these really great skills."
Pacific rugby has struggled to keep players for a number of years with many choosing to pledge allegiance to the All Blacks or Australia, thanks to more oppportunities and the lure of the professional game.
Dreaver says she believes Pacific players should be allowed to play for both their country of origin and their adopted nation.
"Coming to the All Blacks is a dream come true for many of these players. They say it's great if they could play for us, but if they could play for both it would be even better."
Dreaver said with the World Cup being held in New Zealand, it provides a great opportunity to showcase Pacific cultures and make a financial gain.
"Down at Cloud Nine they are going to have a lot of businesses on show there and it's a great chance for them.
"That's what the Rugby World Cup is all about and that's the message, they're trying to sell to the Pacific - if you buy into this you can do quite well out of it."
