[12] Finishing on top of their group, they played Lebanon in the first quarter-final, where they won 48–4, advancing to a semi-final berth against Trans-Tasman rivals, New Zealand.

[14] Despite losing the opening match of the tournament 60–6 against host nation England at St James' Park, Samoa finished the group stage in second place after large wins against Greece and France.

Tim Lafai scored the first try of the game in the sixth minute to give Samoa a 4–0 lead, and for the first time in the tournament, England conceded first.

Five minutes later, Junior Paulo was shown a yellow card, and also put on report, for a dangerous tackle on George Williams.

Stephen Crichton looked to have won it for Samoa with sven minutes to go, as he intercepted a Dom Young pass to touch down under the posts, converting his own try.

Dutton conceded that the match will unlikely to sell-out the 74,310 capacity Old Trafford due to tournament hosts England being eliminated in the second semi-final to Samoa.

Chanel Harris-Tavita replaced him at hooker in his final rugby league match, with Connelly Lemuelu taking his place on the interchange.

In the lead-up to the match, American actor and former professional wrestler Dwayne Johnson posted on Instagram his support for the Samoan team, as it is their first appearance in a World Cup final.

[28] Heather Small, the former lead vocalist of the Manchester-based dance music band M People, performed at half-time and full-time of the men's fixture, as well as bringing out the women's trophy before that match.

Former England captain Kevin Sinfield was welcomed into the stadium at half-time of the match as he completed his Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge marathon raising awareness for motor neuron disease.

[30] Samoa started the match well with early pressure but Australia's strong defensive performance laid the foundations and more than lived up to their billing as overwhelming favourites.

[33] After the break, Angus Crichton was sin-binned for an elbow that ruled out Chanel Harris-Tavita for the remainder of the match with a head injury, but even with a man down Australia added a fourth try through Cameron Murray.