FRANK THE LORD
Samoa final fling a Godsend to ‘Tank’
SAMOA must feel like they’ve come back from the dead in this World Cup – and assistant coach Frank Pritchard feels very much the same.
Struck by Covid, he was placed in a coma and left fighting for his life earlier this year.
But thankfully the ex-Samoa skipper – a Hull cult hero after helping them to their first Wembley success in 2016 – survived and now he’s preparing his tiny country for a maiden World Cup final appearance.
Superb Samoa shocked England 27-26 with a semi-final golden point victory at Emirates Stadium last Saturday.
That came just four weeks after being hammered 60-6 by the same opponents and sets up an Old Trafford decider with mighty Australia on Saturday.
Pritchard, 39, said: “It was touch and go. Covid was tough for everyone in the world.
“I was just lucky my body could handle it and peoples’ prayers kept me going through. But it’s all down to God. I’m a big believer in Christianity. Who’d have thought I’d be here? But here I am part of this coaching staff. Things happen for a reason. And hopefully bigger and better things are to come on Saturday.”
Sydney-born Pritchard played 26 games for Hull in his one season in England, the highlight being a famous Challenge Cup final triumph over Warrington.
A powerful second-row, he retired after captaining Samoa in the 2017 World Cup when they were thrashed 46-0 in the quarter-final by Australia.
Castleford coach Lee Radford, working with Samoa in this tournament, was his boss at Hull where England assistant Andy Last was No.2.
Pritchard – nicknamed Frank The Tank – said: “It’s been awesome working with Radders again.
“And I saw Lasty after the England game. We’re all good mates. Radders is a character but he puts in the hard work as well.
“The boys have really gravitated towards him and he brings a different mindset, especially in defence and knowing the background in Super League. It’s given us a bit of an edge here on how to test the referees.” Bringing Australia to their knees would signal the biggest shock in Test match history. But Pritchard was part of the 2008 New Zealand squad that lifted the trophy and said: “Of course we can win. We have nothing to lose. It wasn’t easy against England but the boys have done it. And