Determined to put three pool losses behind them and cast aside the spectre of relegation, 2016 runners-up Ireland took the route one approach from the off in their ninth place semi-final with Samoa in Tbilisi.
In a power-packed first-half performance that brought four tries for the forwards, front-rowers Ronan Kelleher and Peter Cooper crashed over from pick-and-goes before second-row Fineen Wycherley used all his 196cm frame to reach out and plant the ball down under the posts.
Having seen big second-row Theodore Solipo charge over from 30 metres, Samoa appeared to be building momentum as the half came to a close, but Ireland took advantage of Howard Tagoai’s yellow card for not retreating 10 to score on the stroke of half-time through Oisin Dowling.
Winger Calvin Nash turned the Samoan defence inside and out after collecting a neat grubber kick from Conor Dean to get the second-half scoring underway, but they were denied further scores after replacement scrum-half Pupi Ah See pulled off try-saving tackles on Alan Tynan and Jack Stafford. Setu Enoka then scored from close range for Samoa’s second try and Ricky Pauli Ene landed his first kick at the fourth attempt to make the score 31-12 to Ireland.
David McCarthy came on at centre and had a hand in the next try as Kelleher crashed over for his second and Ireland’s sixth of the match. Shortly after, Ciaran Frawley took an offload from Cooper to get his name on the scoresheet, following a yellow card to Tanielu Tele'a for kicking out at an opponent while on the floor.
A mazy run from Michael Silvester nearly led to another try, but it was Samoa who scored next through Ah See. McCarthy was then robbed of a deserved try when the TMO ruled he had failed to get downward pressure on the ball after receiving a high shot from Alexander Pohla. From the resulting penalty, Ireland kicked to touch and Caelan Doris’ 13th carry of the match from the resulting catch-and-drive saw the number eight cross the whitewash just before time was up. Afioga Ielemia ensured Samoan had the final say, though, when he crashed from a metre out with the clock in red.
Ireland captain Paul Boyle: "We're delighted to get the win because Samoa are a really good side. We'd done our homework on them and concentrated on getting our own performance right, and I think we got most aspects right. There were a few harsh words after the first few games and we really stepped it up today. We haven't shown all that we can do but hopefully we have given a good glimpse and we can now push on in the last game. In the pool stages, we were close enough in two of the games, there was only one score in it against Scotland and Italy, and I think we just got a bit more right today."
Samoa coach Mahonri Schwalger: "They (Ireland) are a pretty big team and they are well structured in the way they play, that sort of European style with a good scrum and lineout, and they are also pretty clinical when they have the ball. Every time we had the ball and stuck to our patterns, we were pretty good. Sometimes we gave the ball away at crucial times though. I guess it is a learning process for most of our boys that when you play against these bigger teams, you need to take all your chances. We've got to learn fast and fight to keep our spot against either Argentina or Georgia."