Samoa looks for power from pain in World Cup tilt

Key points

• Junior Paulo, who led Samoa in the 2022 Rugby League World Cup after losing the NRL grand final, will co-captain the team again. The tournament, featuring 10 men's and eight women's teams, begins with Australia vs New Zealand.
• Four Samoan players lost their NRL grand final last Sunday and will now focus on the World Cup. Paulo aims to help them channel their disappointment into representing Samoa.
• The team includes star half Jarome Luai, who will be closely watched after a notable season. Some players visited Samoa, reinforcing their sense of purpose beyond personal success.