TALISMAN: Tusi Pisi is on his way back for Samoa which is bad news for Fiji.

(stuff.co.nz) – With influential playmaker Tusi Pisi set to return, Samoa are favoured to throw neighbours Fiji on to the World Cup scrapheap this Sunday.
Knockout time has arrived early here. The loser of this match might as well pack their bags and start planning four years in advance. Eden Park is a 60,000 sellout and those fans should be treated to the best that Pacific Island rugby has to offer, unlike their respective outings so far.
Both sides have had only one slip-up in the tournament, but desperation is evident with campaigns in the balance. Fiji were woefully disappointing when demolished by South Africa, while Samoa’s one-dimensional forward-oriented approach against Wales has them on the brink of an underwhelming exit.
Another defeat would be fatal for quarterfinal aspirations that already hang by a thread in this pool.
“Both of us are fighting for our lives. We need this as much as they do,” Samoan wing Sailosi Tagicakibau, who will line up against his brother Michael, said.
Samoa sorely missed Pisi against Wales. Tasesa Lavea filled the void at first five-eighth but lacked authority and conviction and did not offer the same fluency with halfback Kahn Fotuali’i, or his outside backs.
Pisi displayed fine form during Samoa’s opening romp over Namibia, before tweaking a hamstring. His accuracy off the tee is another invaluable asset, one that could define the likely bruising battle.
Since permanently switching to pivot, rather than flirting with the fullback role, Pisi has matured. He is now an integral director for Samoa. 
“I’ve seen a lot of change in him,” Tagicakibau said of Pisi. “He’s always had a good running game, now he’s got the organisation down pat. He was a vital person missing at the weekend.”
Samoan coach Titimaea Tafua revealed Pisi would be selected for Fiji after failing to recover for Wales.
“At the moment he’s 80 per cent. In the next couple of days he will be 100 per cent before our game on Sunday,” Tafua said. “As you saw in our last game we really missed our goalkicker. We’d love to see him back.”

Fotuali’i admitted Samoa, who must now beat Fiji and South Africa to make the quarterfinals, would revert back to the tactics that initiated their shock upset of Australia in July. That historic day, Samoa brought jaw-dropping physicality and utilised their powerful outside finishers, like hulking 121kg wing Alesana Tuilagi, at every opportunity.
“We went away from our strengths against Wales, which is using the ball with our firepower in the backs,” Fotuali’i said. 
“We know we’ve got two must-win games in front of us and that’s Fiji first.”

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