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'All of the island nations are going to front up... it makes us dangerous at the World Cup'
Hooker Elia Elia is fired up to help Harlequins defeat Wasps on Saturday in their bid for a Gallagher Premiership play-off place and prove to the Samoa selectors he needs to be in their World Cup squad in Japan.
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Elia, who has six Test caps, is very much an example to those players taking part in the under-20s World Championship in Argentina next month that impressing on that stage can change your rugby life.
He was first tracked by Quins in 2016 as a No8 playing for Samoa at that age-grade championship. He then moved to hooker, making his senior international debut a year later against France and delivering a performance that convinced the London club to give him a short-term contract.
Harlequins head of rugby Paul Gustard has been so impressed with the potential show by the 23-year-old Christchurch-born hooker that he handed him a three-year deal at the start of this year.
“Elia is so laid back he is horizontal, but he’s a very talented rugby player who has natural game sense, incredible latent raw power and a great turn of pace. That makes him one of the most dangerous ball carrying hookers in the Premiership,” said the Quins boss.
???? Elia Elia to to Alofa Alofa pic.twitter.com/f5g23JUaiR
— Harlequins ? (@Harlequins) November 7, 2017
Elia’s intensely physical style has made him a fan favourite at the Twickenham Stoop and he’s desperate to repay the faith shown in him by the club by securing a play-off place on the final day of the regular season at the Ricoh Arena.
Quins are currently fifth, one point behind Northampton who have to travel to leaders Exeter on Saturday. Elia has nothing but praise for the effect Gustard has had on the club since opting out of his England defence coach role. However, he admits it took time for the players to deliver what their head of rugby demanded.
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The team is now operating with the defensive ferocity Gustard requires. Allied to an attacking game, that makes them a dangerous force at his crucial point of the season.
“It’s a long season with ups and downs and to be so close to the play-offs is really exciting,” said Elia. “I believe we have now adapted to what Paul wants. It was pretty hard in pre-season but we have gelled together as a squad and everyone is on the same page. Our win over Leicester put us in this position to fight for the top four.
“The boys are now used to the way Paul is. He is a hands-on sort of coach and likes to work us hard. We have had injuries to deal with this season and players have stepped up, including the academy boys, to help the team progress. We’re not going to change our game plan because it is Wasps. Paul has told us exactly what he wants and it will come down to who wants it most on Saturday.
“I have been fortunate to get this opportunity with Quins and am loving the whole atmosphere. I’m going to keep doing what I can for Quins and if the call comes from Samoa for the World Cup, then I am going to be overwhelmed.
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? The lads were looking sharp during today's training session as the clock ticks towards Wasps.#COYQ pic.twitter.com/xJlYbctFf8
— Harlequins ? (@Harlequins) May 14, 2019
“I have been included in all emails about dates etc… and if that phone call comes then my family will be so proud. It would be a fantastic way to finish off this season with Quins by playing at the World Cup.”
Elia believes this World Cup in Japan will see all three of the major island nations – Fiji, Tonga and Samoa – make a real impact as all their star players will be included in the national squads. “The fact that all the players are going to be available with clubs releasing them to play is really important,” he reckoned.
“It makes us dangerous at the World Cup and all of the island nations are going to front up. The players from the Pacific Island nations playing here in England get to meet up. Here at the club we have a good community and we get together as families for a feed.
“We also have family BBQs with the London Irish boys, go to church on Sunday and stick to the cultural upbringings mixing and mingling. My first season was quite hard as I was adjusting to being so far away from home, but I have my partner and our baby here now. That has really given me the desire to play my hardest for them and Quins.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments