Toa Samoa

The match-up between the Country and Samoan sides will be the main event in a festival of football, with an Open-Age Men’s Group 9 v Group 20 Indigenous match, Women’s tackle nines match between Riverina and Western and U17’s clash between Riverina and Monaro taking place from 3pm (local time)

Toa Samoa Coach Matt Parish believes the match is a great opportunity, not only for his side, but for Rugby League fans throughout the Riverina.

After announcing their 24-man squad in Samoa on Friday morning, officials were given the belated news that Newcastle Knights skipper Mata’utia and Knights-bound Brisbane centre Moga have been ruled unfit.

While they have met only once in a Test match previously, there is plenty of reason to think these two nations will be evenly matched this weekend with Samoa enjoying the luxury of having several players who are currently among the best in their positons in the NRL Telstra Premiership.

England coach Wayne Bennett has suffered a couple of big injury blows before a ball has even been kicked, with St George Illawarra Dragons star Gareth Widdop and fellow playmaker George Williams both ruled out with knee injuries.

Brisbane Broncos stand-off Anthony Milford will pull on the Samoan jumper for the first time in four years in Saturday's Pacific Test against England at Campbelltown Stadium.

Club teammate Josh McGuire will also wear blue, two years after his last test for the Toa and less than 12 months after representing both Queensland and Australia.

Mike McMeeken, Chris McQueen and Alex Walmsley have been called up to an England squad for the first time, while there are recalls for Zak Hardaker and Chris Heighington, who was last selected in 2011.

Sean O'Loughlin will captain the squad after missing the 2016 Four Nations tournament through injury.

The squad is made up of 12 players from the English Super League and eight from Australia's NRL.

Wayne Bennett said he's selected a strong squad with the talent to do well.

"I don't think it is the big three any more," Parish said. 

"I actually think it is the big six or the big seven because they have changed the international eligibility rules for players and I think the gap between the third and fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh nations isn't that great now."

While Scotland secured a draw with New Zealand during last year's Four Nations and Italy shocked England in a warm-up match before the 2013 World Cup, no tier two country has beaten one of the big three in a Test or major tournament for more than 35 years.

The 22-year-old Broncos star represented Samoa at the last World Cup and told the Courier Mail he was available to face England in May.

International eligibility laws were relaxed last year, allowing eligible players to nominate both a tier one and tier two nation to represent, with no stand-down periods and the ability to switch multiple times.

Milford is free to play for Samoa if he's overlooked by Australia and could even play for both this year, as well as the Queensland State of Origin team.

“Right now were just evaluating and looking at players. I can’t say who will be playing because that’s the coach’s decision independently. He selects the players to go,” said Su’a.

“We start trials next month. Towards the end of March we’ll have a fair idea of who we got on our list, but then again I can’t confirm who will be in the train on squad. It’s all up to the coach himself,” he added.

Meanwhile, Samoa’s favorite rugby league wing, Daniel Vidot has announced a return to rugby league meaning a chance to put on the Blue jersey for Samoa.

Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano inspired Samoa to a fast start, barging over for the opening try after just four minutes.

Lively Warriors winger Ken Maumalo crossed on the right hand side to extend the home side's lead and bagged his second four minutes later to give the Toa a commanding 18-0 lead.

Mick Potter said his side turned over too much possession in the opening quarter, forcing them to defend their line.

Coming back from the breather, Fiji began pounding at the Samoan front line, leading to their first three tries, before the halftime hooter.

The score remained 16 to 18 until the final 10 minutes when a crucial error at the Fijian goal line, led to Apisai Koroisau sprinting the length of the field for the apparent winning try.