Auckland witnessed tragedy as Ata Mariota was injured in his Test debut, requiring medical attention.
There were awful scenes in Auckland as Samoan Canberra Raiders forward Ata Mariota was carted off in a neck brace in his Test debut at the Pacific Championships.
New Zealand defeated Toa Samoa 24-18 in a thrilling and physical Pacific Championships clash that went right down to the wire, however Mariota's night ended prematurely when a tackle attempt went terribly wrong in the second half.
A lengthy delay followed Mariota's first tackle in the game. It left the 23-year-old motionless on the turf and requiring immediate medical attention.