Things got spicy the last time Koloamatangi and Leniu clashed. Get ready for round two

November 6, 2026 — 3:30pmThings nearly got ugly the last time Keaon Koloamatangi and Spencer Leniu clashed in the middle of Allianz Stadium.So what could possibly go wrong when the pair line up for Australia and Samoa, in a must-win World Cup semi-final, with national pride on the line, in front of a deafening 40,000-plus sellout crowd on Sunday night?Keaon Koloamatangi and Spencer Leniu will clash again on Sunday night.NineFans will recall the round-27 clash between South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters, and how Leniu threw the ball down in anger and dared Koloamatangi to punch on.Koloamatangi kept his cool and laughed in Leniu’s face, while Leniu was subbed out of the game a few minutes later and did not return.“He was screaming at me; it takes a lot for me to get angry – I don’t even remember the last time I got angry,” Koloamatangi told this masthead at the time.“It’s a footy game. I’m not there to go out and fight people. Violence isn’t the answer. It’s better to be a lover and not a fighter.”Keaon Koloamatangi carts the ball up for Australia against the Cook Islands.Getty ImagesReminded about his last run-in with Leniu, Koloamtangi said this week: “I was probably too tired to do anything that night. I always put the team first, and I’m not there to get sin-binned or sent off.“That would be a selfish act, to lash out and give a penalty away. That’s something I pride myself on, being a team-first player.“Emotions always run high, but there’s a line you don’t want to cross – and I don’t want to make the coach upset. Spencer is a great player, and the Roosters don’t win that grand final without him. He plays with his heart on his sleeve.“When he comes on fresh and he’s ready to go, it gets you going and makes you want to put in that extra effort because you know he’ll be flying in off the back fence.”Spencer Leniu in action for Samoa.Getty ImagesKoloamatangi and Leniu are expected to be injected off the bench for Australia and Samoa respectively midway through the first half. The pair have become two of the best middles in the game, which is reflected in their pay packets with new employers St George Illawarra and Parramatta.“Whatever happens, happens – I’m just there to try and win the game and do my job for the team,” a smiling Koloamatangi said.Koloamatangi, 28, clicked into gear in the second half against the Cook Islands last weekend, while Leniu punched out almost an hour against Tonga last Sunday.Samoa coach Ben Gardiner said of Leniu: “The passion Spencer has for the jersey, and the love he has playing for Samoa, we’ve really enjoyed watching him go about his business.“He played bigger minutes the other night, he played a role where he changes the game when he comes on, and we’re looking forward to him doing that again on Sunday. I’ll let him take care of [controlling] those emotions.”Kangaroos prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was eligible for Samoa, but chose Australia, largely because he wanted to become a starting front-rower in the green and gold after coming off the interchange in the 2022 final.Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow opted to represent Samoa ahead of the host nation after committing to Gardiner during a chance meeting at Suncorp Stadium after the Dolphins’ win over Penrith in round six last year.News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.From our partners