BRIGHTON, England: With tougher tests ahead, Samoa started their Rugby World Cup campaign with a 25-16 win over the United States in Pool B on Sunday and, after South Africa’s shock defeat to Japan on Saturday, will be delighted to be safely over the first hurdle.

Kicks proved the difference as the teams scored two tries each but the USpaid the price for giving away too many penalties after Samoa had established a 14-8 halftime lead in the midday sunshine in front of 29 178 at the Brighton Community Stadium, the scene of Japan’s stunning victory over the Springboks that blew the pool open a day earlier.

Tries from Tim Nanai-Williams and Ofisa Treviranus and 12 points from the foot of flyhalf Tusi Pisi and another penalty by Michael Stanley saw them home.

The Americans ensured a nervy end to the contest for Samoa when Chris Baumann went over to cut the deficit to nine points for the final 10 minutes of the contest.

Samoa have expectations of a quarter-final place for the first time since 1995, and with group matches to come against South Africa, Japan and Scotland, needed to make a positive start.

“It was tough but it has set us up for the next game. The South Africa loss to Japan showed that all teams at the World Cup have quality,” said Treviranus

All the early initiative with was Samoa, spending considerable time deep in US territory and drawing gasps of amazement from the crowd with the intensity, and sheer brutal force, of their hits.

But it was a clever grubber kick by Pisi rather than a line break that set up the first try after 20 minutes for fullback Tin Nanai-Williams, who only recently qualified to play for the country of his parents’ birth.

American flyhalf AJ MacGinty lead a speedy break from their own 25, cutting through the line to set up a try for Chris Wyles as the Americans replied with a try to trim the halftime score to 14-8.

Samoa’s second try came soon after the interval through Treviranus after another little grubber kick from a lineout and some hesitant US defense.

But Baumann’s try kept the score tight and left the USto rue conceding too many penalties and battling with some the elementary aspects of the game such as throwing in straight at the line-outs.

Samoa tops the pool alongside Japan with four points to the two of South Africa — who they face next in Birmingham on Saturday. The US play Scotland on Sunday.

Wales crushes Uruguay 54-9: In Cardiff, Wales sparkled in patches and ran in eight tries, including three for center Cory Allen, to overpower Uruguay 54-9 in their opening Rugby World Cup Pool A match on Sunday but the gloss was taken off the victory by yet more injury concerns.

After a dispiriting build-up to the tournament marred by injuries to key players, the Welsh moved level with England at the top of the group on five points ahead of the teams’ seismic clash at Twickenham next Saturday.

Wales, fielding several second-string players, made a sluggish start, conceding a succession of turnovers, and Uruguay flyhalf Felipe Berchesi kicked two penalties to put his largely amateur side 6-0 ahead.

The hosts, however, responded swiftly, much to the delight of a raucous and excitable crowd at the Millennium Stadium.

Prop Samson Lee grounded the ball over the line following a ferocious driving maul and Allen ran on to a neat chip through by Rhys Priestland to score the second try.

Man-of-the-match Allen scampered over again and completed his hat-trick after a flowing Welsh move down the left to take the hosts 28-9 ahead at halftime.

Wales coach Warren Gatland made a number of replacements with the tougher group matches against England and Australia in mind, but his team continued to cut through the Uruguayan defense almost at will.

Winger Hallam Amos surged over the line before the crowd’s celebrations were briefly dampened when Allen left the field, the third Wales player forced off by injury.

Scrumhalf Gareth Davies grabbed the sixth try with a sniping run as Uruguay, ranked 19th in the world and playing in their third World Cup, worked tirelessly to keep the scoreline respectable.

Flanker Justin Tipuric touched down after another powerful Wales maul and Davies crashed over for his second try in the final minute to complete a satisfactory start for Gatland.

Priestland slotted over seven of the eight conversions in the absence of regular kicker Leigh Halfpenny who misses the tournament due to injury.

Allen, fullback Liam Williams and prop Paul James all went off injured during Sunday’s game, though the extent of the damage has yet to be announced.