New Zealand survive Samoan fightback Sonny Bill Williams slips up The holders, New Zealand fought off a late comeback by Samoa, despite an embarrassing try blunder by Sonny Bill Williams - the kiwis managed to win 42-24. PT0M52S http://www.smh.com.au/action/externalEmbeddedPlayer?id=d-2wacc 620 349 October 28, 2013 - 11:01AM WARRINGTON: New Zealand's World Cup defence got off to a shaky start with a 42-24 victory against Samoa in cool conditions at Halliwell Jones Stadium. In front of a crowd of 13,965 people, the Kiwis dominated the opening half despite leaving out players of the calibre of Jason Nightingale, Greg Eastwood and Krisnan Inu. With their right-hand attack dominant, the defending champions started the match with a bang scoring 22 points in as many minutes. Sonny Bill slip-up: Kiwi superstar bombs a try when he slips over the deadball line. New Zealand versus Samoa Hoffman, Mannering (2), Tuivasa-Sheck, Vatuvei (3), Luke Roberts, Leilua, Manumalealii, Matagi, Winterstein Johnson 5/8 (62%) Milford 2/5 (40%) It was a different story in the second-half when Samoa added four quick tries to reduce the margin to six points. It looked like Sonny Bill Williams would end the Samoan onslaught when he made a 20-metre bust, but the New Zealand backrower was left red faced after slipping in the in-goal area and carrying the ball dead before he could score what seemed to be a certain try. The dual international, in his first game for the Kiwis since the Anzac Test of 2008 after defecting to union, looked set to cap a solid performance with a try after splitting the defence with 12 minutes to play. Unstoppable: Dean Whare set up New Zealand's first three tries. Photo: Getty images He crossed the line totally free of pressure but, inexplicably, casually strode deep into the in-goal area before slipping and putting a foot over the dead ball line before he could ground the ball. Williams" look of embarrassment told the story before the try was officially disallowed by the video referee. Attacking threat: Anthony Milford of Samoa. The Roosters premiership winner wouldn't speak about the incident after the game but later tweeted. "Embarrassed not to score but nothing wrong with a lil humble pie," he tweeted. The ruling was met with jeers from the near-14,000 fans packed into Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium who had been baying support for a spirited Samoa side. His coach Stephen Kearney added: "How do you explain that? He might need to check his boots. It was a good indication of that period of the game for us. I am sure if he had the opportunity again it wouldn't happen. Samoan coach Matt Parish said the crowd lifted his team. "When they brought the crowd into it they rose to the occasion," said Parish. To hear that crowd sing Samoa I was touched by it. Kiwi winger Manu Vatuvei - who scored a hat-trick of tries - said Williams could expect plenty of grief from his teammates in coming days. "I was pretty shocked," Vatuvei said. The boys will remind him of it a fair bit. He is a good guy and all the boys will give it to him. A few of the boys gave it to him after the game and that will continue throughout the whole camp. New Zealand's victory was set-up in the first-half with centre Dean Whare, who enjoyed running off inside men Williams and Shaun Johnson, playing a significant role in the first three tries. Williams celebrated his first Test for the Kiwis since 2008 - and his first victory in a rugby league Test - by laying on New Zealand's first try in the 11th minute. Whare ran into space off a well-timed short pass from Williams before drawing Samoan fullback Anthony Milford and off-loading to Kiwi custodian Josh Hoffman who raced over to score. Three more tries followed in the next 11 minutes as the Kiwis rolled forward, making plenty of metres through a flimsy Samoan defence. Whare and debutant Roger Tuivasa-Sheck combined for skipper Simon Mannering to score. Tuivasa-Sheck scored next as the baby-faced Rooster benefited from good lead up work by Whare who committed Samoan winger Antonio Winterstein in defence to create the space. A fourth try was soon added as the Samoan defence rushed up, only for Johnson to throw a clever inside ball to give Mannering his second try. The Samoans struggled to get on the scoreboard with winger Daniel Vidot denied two try scoring opportunities by strong New Zealand defence. The Kiwis finally buckled when halfback Ben Roberts showed some good footwork to breeze past Johnson and carry Williams over the tryline for a 22-4 half-time score. The scoring spree continued for New Zealand with three tries in the first 10 minutes of the second half as Vatuvei bagged a double and Issac Luke the other. Then came the fightback. Milford looked dangerous for Samoa but it was centre Joey Leilua who crossed next for the underdogs, while big Mose Masoe showed early signs that he will be a crowd favourite in the Super League with St Helens when he brought the crowd to life with his trademark hits. Tries to interchange player Penani Manumalealiii, who regathered his own grubber to score, and Suaia Matagi brought the crowd to their feet as New Zealand struggled. A Mannering spilt ball was pounced on by Winterstein who raced away to score, bringing the scoreline to 36-24 with 15 minutes to go. That dream was halted when Vatuvei's scored in the 72nd minute to bring up his hat-trick to give New Zealand a scrappy win. Samoa were left with 15 players when Reni Maitua (hip) and Frank Winterstein (chest/pectoral) were forced from the field. NEW ZEALAND 42 (M Vatuvei 3 S Mannering 2 J Hoffman I Luke R Tuivasa-Sheck tries S Johnson 5 goals) bt SAMOA 24 (J Leilua P Manumalealii S Matagi B Roberts A Winterstein tries A Milford 2 goals) at Halliwell Jones Stadium. Crowd: 13,965.