Manu Samoa and Chile Draw 32-32 in Thrilling Rugby World Cup 2027 Qualifier First Leg

Dramatic Draw in Salt Lake City

The first leg of the 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifier between Manu Samoa and Chile concluded in a thrilling 32-32 draw on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at America First Field in Salt Lake City, Utah. The result leaves the two-match series finely balanced ahead of the decisive return fixture.

Qualification Stakes High for Both Nations

This cross-regional play-off is a critical juncture for both teams, with the winner on aggregate securing the 23rd direct qualification spot for the expanded 24-team Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. The loser of this series will still have a chance to qualify via a Final Qualification Tournament (repechage) scheduled for November 2025 in Dubai.

Manu Samoa's journey to this play-off followed a 29-13 defeat against the USA in the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup fifth-place play-off on September 14, 2025, which prevented their direct qualification. Chile, representing 'Sudamérica 2', earned their spot in this series after narrowly missing out on direct qualification in their regional clashes.

First Leg Highlights and Key Performances

The match saw a remarkable comeback from Manu Samoa, who trailed Chile significantly at halftime with the score at 25-8. Key moments included:

• Chile's early dominance with tries from Javier Eissmann, Matías Garafulic (who scored two tries), and Santiago Pedrero.
• Samoa's second-half resurgence, spearheaded by replacement Abraham Papali'i, who scored two crucial tries, including one after the final hooter to level the score.
• Fly-half Christian Leali'ifano, a former Wallaby, contributed to Samoa's scoring but missed a conversion attempt that would have secured a victory for his team.
• Other Samoan try-scorers included Theodore Steffany, Latrell Ah Kiong, and Alamanda Motuga.

Decisive Second Leg Awaits in Chile

All eyes now turn to the second and final leg of the qualifier, which will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at Estadio Sausalito in Viña del Mar, Chile. The aggregate score across both matches will determine which nation secures a coveted place at the Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.