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Hamilton - Wales shattered their 20-year jinx against World Cup bogey side Samoa Sunday with a tense 17-10 win to keep their tournament hopes alive.
Veteran winger Shane Williams scampered over deep into the second half to secure the vital win which buried the ghosts of major upsets in 1991 and 1999 and put them on course for the quarter-finals.
Samoa edged a scrappy first half 10-6 but the Welsh backline came to life after the break and were rewarded with Williams's 67th-minute score - his 55th Test try and eighth in the World Cup, which is a record for the team.
The win, following Wales's 16-17 opening loss to defending champions South Africa, puts them in the box seat to qualify second from Pool D with a likely quarter-final against Six Nations rivals Ireland.
"We knew today was a must-win game," said coach Warren Gatland. "Forget about the performance, we just knew we had to win. That's why I'm so proud of the boys: under a bit of pressure, they just dug deep."
Samoa were left to rue referee Alain Rolland's decision to rule out Maurie Faasavalu's first-half score for double-grounding as they face remaining fixtures against Fiji and South Africa.
"We're still there - I've got belief in my team," said captain Mahonri Schwalger. "My team will make the quarter-finals, if we concentrate on the next two games."
In bright and breezy conditions at the Waikato Stadium, James Hook's early penalty from halfway went narrowly wide and Samoa passed up a golden chance when Sailosi Tagicakibau spilled a low pass just metres from the tryline.
Wales suffered a blow when flanker Dan Lydiate limped off in just the 11th minute to be replaced by Andy Powell. But Hook was gifted an easy three points when Maurie Faasavalu high-tackled Rhys Priestland near the Samoan 22m line.
Jamie Roberts crossed on 14 minutes but was brought back for a forward pass and Rhys Priestland missed his third drop-goal of the World Cup, before Samoa's Paul Williams levelled the scores with a penalty from the Welsh 10m line.
Samoa's forwards disintegrated under a powerful Welsh scrum to give Hook another penalty to make it 6-3, but they made amends with a punishing, 18-phase tryline assault only for Faasavalu's grounding to be deemed illegal.
Samoa cart-wheeled a scrum on the halfway line as their forwards took charge, and they dealt Wales a huge hit when another crunching attack culminated in Perenise's try - and Williams' conversion - for a 10-6 half-time lead.
Welsh fullback Hook was replaced by Leigh Halfpenny at half-time after a shoulder injury and they reduced the margin to 10-9 when Priestland's penalty fortuitously bounced off the crossbar and over.
The Wales backs were suddenly in the game and centre Jonathan Davies had the tryline at his mercy when a long cross-field kick bounced off his legs, but Priestland then kicked them 12-10 ahead after a ruck infringement.
And Wales were again rewarded for their greater endeavour when Halfpenny broke down the left and fed Davies, whose panicky one-handed pass was gathered off the floor by Williams for his try 13 minutes from the end.
Samoa's forwards massed for one final assault but the pick-and-go machine broke down when number eight George Stowers lost control of the ball at the tryline.
It was the first ever World Cup win against Samoa for Wales, who were stunned 13-16 in 1991 by the Pacific islanders and again in Cardiff eight years later.
Rugby power Wales have only reached three quarter-finals in three editions of the rugby showpiece while Samoa, an island nation of just 180 000, have twice reached the knock-outs in 1991 and 1995.
Wales face African minnows Namibia in New Plymouth on September 26 while Samoa's next Pool D opponents are Fiji in Auckland on September 25.
Scorers:
Wales - Try: Shane Williams. Penalties: James Hook (2), Rhys Priestland (2).
Samoa - Try: Anthony Perenise. Conversion: Paul Williams. Penalty: Williams.
Veteran winger Shane Williams scampered over deep into the second half to secure the vital win which buried the ghosts of major upsets in 1991 and 1999 and put them on course for the quarter-finals.
Samoa edged a scrappy first half 10-6 but the Welsh backline came to life after the break and were rewarded with Williams's 67th-minute score - his 55th Test try and eighth in the World Cup, which is a record for the team.
The win, following Wales's 16-17 opening loss to defending champions South Africa, puts them in the box seat to qualify second from Pool D with a likely quarter-final against Six Nations rivals Ireland.
"We knew today was a must-win game," said coach Warren Gatland. "Forget about the performance, we just knew we had to win. That's why I'm so proud of the boys: under a bit of pressure, they just dug deep."
Samoa were left to rue referee Alain Rolland's decision to rule out Maurie Faasavalu's first-half score for double-grounding as they face remaining fixtures against Fiji and South Africa.
"We're still there - I've got belief in my team," said captain Mahonri Schwalger. "My team will make the quarter-finals, if we concentrate on the next two games."
In bright and breezy conditions at the Waikato Stadium, James Hook's early penalty from halfway went narrowly wide and Samoa passed up a golden chance when Sailosi Tagicakibau spilled a low pass just metres from the tryline.
Wales suffered a blow when flanker Dan Lydiate limped off in just the 11th minute to be replaced by Andy Powell. But Hook was gifted an easy three points when Maurie Faasavalu high-tackled Rhys Priestland near the Samoan 22m line.
Jamie Roberts crossed on 14 minutes but was brought back for a forward pass and Rhys Priestland missed his third drop-goal of the World Cup, before Samoa's Paul Williams levelled the scores with a penalty from the Welsh 10m line.
Samoa's forwards disintegrated under a powerful Welsh scrum to give Hook another penalty to make it 6-3, but they made amends with a punishing, 18-phase tryline assault only for Faasavalu's grounding to be deemed illegal.
Samoa cart-wheeled a scrum on the halfway line as their forwards took charge, and they dealt Wales a huge hit when another crunching attack culminated in Perenise's try - and Williams' conversion - for a 10-6 half-time lead.
Welsh fullback Hook was replaced by Leigh Halfpenny at half-time after a shoulder injury and they reduced the margin to 10-9 when Priestland's penalty fortuitously bounced off the crossbar and over.
The Wales backs were suddenly in the game and centre Jonathan Davies had the tryline at his mercy when a long cross-field kick bounced off his legs, but Priestland then kicked them 12-10 ahead after a ruck infringement.
And Wales were again rewarded for their greater endeavour when Halfpenny broke down the left and fed Davies, whose panicky one-handed pass was gathered off the floor by Williams for his try 13 minutes from the end.
Samoa's forwards massed for one final assault but the pick-and-go machine broke down when number eight George Stowers lost control of the ball at the tryline.
It was the first ever World Cup win against Samoa for Wales, who were stunned 13-16 in 1991 by the Pacific islanders and again in Cardiff eight years later.
Rugby power Wales have only reached three quarter-finals in three editions of the rugby showpiece while Samoa, an island nation of just 180 000, have twice reached the knock-outs in 1991 and 1995.
Wales face African minnows Namibia in New Plymouth on September 26 while Samoa's next Pool D opponents are Fiji in Auckland on September 25.
Scorers:
Wales - Try: Shane Williams. Penalties: James Hook (2), Rhys Priestland (2).
Samoa - Try: Anthony Perenise. Conversion: Paul Williams. Penalty: Williams.
