"Never forget the impact that we have had on the world. Never forget the impact that we have had on those people around the world, who have never met us, but have all supported us from the get go. Every single Samoan around the world is going to be proud of what we achieved”.

That was Junior Paulo’s emotional address to team-mates in the dressing room at Old Trafford after Samoa became the first Pacific nation to play in a World Cup final in 2022.

Four years later, the Toa are on the cusp of repeating the feat and as they prepare to face the Kangaroos at Allianz Stadium in Sunday’s semi-final their motivation is the same.

“There’s always something deeper when you’re playing for your people and your heritage,” Paulo said this week.

“To see the love from all parts of the world, that’s the reason why we chose to play for our country.”

Samoa fell short against the Kangaroos in 2022 but their efforts to beat archrivals Tonga 20-18 in the quarter-final and shock England 27-26 in extra time of their semi-final in London captured the imagination of fans around the globe.

Hollywood megastar Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who is of Samoan heritage, posted shout outs to the team on social media, while fans gathered for parades across Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific and North America.

Many of those who travelled to England for the final in Manchester had never seen a game of rugby league live but wanted to support Samoa on such a huge occasion for the nation.

Shown video footage of his dressing room speech, which is set to feature in a documentary about Samoa’s rise as a rugby league powerhouse, Paulo became emotional as he reflected what the Toa achieved in 2022.

A veteran of three World Cups since making his Samoa debut in 2016, Paulo was eligible for New Zealand and Australia but chose to represent his heritage from the start of his international career.

And the 32-year-old has become a cornerstone of Samoa’s rise into a nation that can now compete with the best.

“Just to see how far we have come in those years since I have been playing, that has probably been the biggest progress for us, and to see the growth of the international scene,” he said.

“It’s a feeling that’s probably indescribable and for us, choosing to play for Samoa, that’s exactly the reason why.”

After reaching the final of last year’s Pacific Championships against New Zealand and producing another epic performance in last weekend’s 20-18 loss to Tonga, Samoa are now daring to dream of winning the World Cup.

“Look, to lose a grand final like that, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t burning,” Paulo said.

“It’s a privilege to be in this position for us and it’s an opportunity to be a part of history and hopefully what can be one of the biggest upsets.

“I’ve always believed we have had the potential, but probably not to that extent where we are capable of winning a World Cup.”

After playing in front of a CommBank Stadium record crowd of 29,411 last Sunday night against Tonga, the Toa are set to again have huge support at a sold-out Allianz Stadium when they take on the Kangaroos.

After playing in front of a CommBank Stadium record crowd of 29,411 last Sunday night against Tonga, the Toa are set to again have huge support at a sold-out Allianz Stadium when they take on the Kangaroos.

Tonga’s semi-final against the Kiwis in Newcastle is also sold out.

Yet the love for Samoa and Tonga stretches far beyond Sydney and Brisbane, where they played before 45,000 fans in last year’s Pacific Championships clash with Tonga at Suncorp Stadium.

There were American accents at the post-match press conference after last weekend’s match, and many believe the connection with Polynesian communities in the United States can help the game’s global push.

“Just to see the love and support we have is beautiful and it is such a rewarding feeling knowing that we’ve got fans all around the world - not just in Samoa or here in Australia, but in San Francisco, Phoenix and Utah,” star winger Brian Toó said.

“It’s pretty inspiring to see how many people made the trip to support us and our beautiful country.”

Paulo said the players drew inspiration from the support for Samoa and the impact they had on fans around the world.

“It’s not only in the United States. We see it on social media, and that platform allows us to see the love and support that we get,” he said.