Farnworth stars as England wrap up series win against Samoa
· BBC SportSteven Sutcliffe
BBC Sport journalist
England (22) 34
Tries: Marshall, Williams, Ashton, Farnworth (2), Welsby Goals: Smith (5)
Samoa (6) 16
Tries: Blore, Tago, Nanai Goals: Pauga (2)
Herbie Farnworth delivered a superb performance that included two tries as England wrapped up a 2-0 Test series victory by beating Samoa 34-16 at Headingley.
England have now won seven successive matches since their dramatic World Cup semi-final defeat by the Pacific islanders in 2022.
Shawn Blore's try had given Samoa an early 6-2 lead in a bruising affair that produced some bone-crunching tackles from both sets of players.
However, tries from Wigan Warriors winger Liam Marshall, on his debut, captain George Williams, Matty Ashton and Farnworth helped England to a 22-6 advantage at the interval.
Two of those tries came while Samoa's Junior Pauga was in the sin-bin - sent there for a high tackle on second row John Bateman, a decision disputed by Samoa head coach Ben Gardiner.
And while Jake Tago's try brought the tourists back into the contest, Dolphins centre Farnworth, one of three NRL players in Shaun Wane's starting 13, crossed for the second time before breaking the visitors' defensive line to lay on a try for Jack Welsby.
Jeremiah Nanai's late try from Jarome Luai's well-executed grubber kick proved little more than a consolation for Gardiner's side.
Farnworth inspires disciplined England
Throughout the build-up to these two autumn internationals, the England camp had made it clear that they would only be satisfied by completing a series win.
And Wane will have delighted in the way his side stepped up their intensity levels against a Samoa team who showed clear improvements from the first test in Wigan six days ago.
The short turnaround meant that Tom Burgess was unable to shake off an illness to play, while Kai Pearce-Paul (calf) and Dom Young (hand) were also unavailable because of injuries.
In their place, Luke Thompson returned from suspension, with the strength in depth at Wane's disposal underlined further by international bows for Super League’s Young Player of the Year Junior Nsemba and the competition's top try scorer Marshall.
In Harry Smith, Williams and the exciting Farnworth, there also the players capable of taking the game away from any opposition.
Pauga's trip to the sin-bin in the first half only helped the hosts, who were edging a tight encounter 8-6 at the time but were able to capitalise ruthlessly on their man advantage to construct a commanding lead at the break.
However, Farnworth was the man to steal the show.
The 24-year-old's elusive running and ability to offload from tackles against caused Samoa no end of problems and ensured he was a worthy recipient of the player-of-the-match award.