The first quarter of the match was dominated by long stoppages and basic errors in the slippery conditions, with Tonga losing lock Harrison Mataele and hooker Siua Maile to injury inside the first ten minutes.
It was the 'Ikale Tahi who opened the scoring with a fourth minute penalty, after Samoa had spilled the kickoff and then conceded a penalty from a scrum. Samoa levelled the scores five minutes later before Henry Taefu's second penalty gave the Manu a 6-3 buffer on 13 minutes.
James Faiva (R) puts in a chip kick.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
After a cagey start to the match, in which both teams struggled to build phases and hold onto the ball it was Samoa who seized the initiative 15 minutes before the interval . A long raking kick pinned Tonga back inside their own 22. Samuel Slade stole the resulting lineout and the ball spun wide, with first five Rodney Iona's looping cut-out pass finding dynamic winger Ed Fidow, who raced away down the right-hand touchline to score the opening try, with Taefu adding the extras.