Excitement ahead of Rugby League World Cup Final
STORY: In one of the greatest games in World Cup history, Samoa shocked England 27-26 in their semi-final on Saturday (November 12) and advanced to their first-ever final - in either rugby code.
The country has been in a jubilant mood since making the final and locals covered in Samoan flags led a vehicle parade through Apia. The day before on Friday (November 18) a large crowd amassed in front of the country's executive government buildings to celebrate Toa Samoa's feats.
No Pacific Island team had previously made the Rugby League World Cup final and no nation have made their debut in the final since 1998.
Australia are the firmest of favourites to make it eight wins out of the last nine World Cups after their own thrilling victory over their Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in their semi-final in Leeds.
But having come from nowhere to overcome the odds and get this far, a Samoan side with nothing to lose cannot be completely written off in the showpiece match at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium on Saturday.
