England's World Cup pool is about to get a whole lot tougher
England’s bid for Rugby World Cup glory in France next year is about to become tougher with Samoa aiming to add former All Blacks Lima Sopoaga and Steve Luatua to their Pacific Nations Cup winning squad, although including 103 cap Ma’a Nonu looks unlikely.
Head coach Seilala Mapusua has revealed his plans to RugbyPass as he plots his nation’s challenge in France in 2023 where they are in Pool D with England, Argentina, Japan, and Chile.
Mapusua hopes to have Bristol’s Luatua and Sopoaga, the former Highlanders and Wasps outside half who is now with Lyon in France, available for their November tests which see the Pacific Islands nation take on Italy, Georgia and Romania.
Many Samoan fans would also like to see 40-years-old All Blacks legend Nonu drafted in but Mapusua said: “Ma’a Nonu has been on Samoa’s wish list for about 20 years but he is now 40 years old and we have some great mid-fielders coming through and it is about enhancing what we have started.”
Having beaten hosts Fiji, Tonga and Australia A to win the PNC, Mapusua is eager to test his players against Tier 1 nations but has to be content with just one fixture against Italy who are currently World ranked No14 which puts them three places below Samoa.
The Samoan squad flew under the radar at the PNC as attention was focused on Tonga who were featuring Israel Folau, Charles Piutau and Malaki Fekitoa who had all switched countries following World Rugby’s new qualification criteria that allows a player to play for another country – if he satisfies the criteria – having not played international rugby for three years.
Sopoaga won the last of his 16 All Blacks caps in 2017 while Luatua won his 15th cap for New Zealand in 2016 against Italy and they would join a Samoa squad that already includes recent arrivals Fritz Lee, who has enjoyed stellar career with Clermont Auvergne and former New Zealand U20 cap Jordan Taufua who plays at Lyon.
The squad has been bolstered by the inclusion of players now part of the Moana Pasifika Super Rugby Pacific squad which has ensured the step up to test rugby is not so daunting.
Adding Sopoaga and Luatua is the next step for Mapusua in his bid to change perceptions about Samoa and make them a viable option for dual-qualified players, particularly in New Zealand. The 33 times capped former Samoa centre told RugbyPass: “Steven Luatua would be a great acquisition for us and it will be a good problem to have him, Fritz Lee, Jordan Taufua, Henry Stowers all available with the guys who are already important members of our squad.
“Lima is a possibility as well and it is about working with the guys who have a genuine desire to be part of the squad. It is not just about throwing ex-All Blacks in there when they are eligible.
“Jordan was always eligible for Samoa and last year he was injured and it was great to finally get him on the pitch. We also have Fritz Lee from Clermont and having those two with their vast experience was awesome because they are class players and with the eligibility changes doesn’t mean everything changes overnight but there are a few more I am speaking to that will be if fit and ready and we will see them in November.”
Mapusua’s aim is to make Samoa the first choice for young qualified players and he believes getting Moana Pasifika into the Super Rugby Pacific tournament has been key to helping win the PNC in Fiji.
He added: “We wouldn’t have gone to Fiji if we didn’t think we could have won the Cup. The key for us was that it would have to be a squad effort to win it and we knew that there was a lot of talk about Tonga and Fiji and that Australia A would be tough and had to make the belief was there for us. We pulled tight really early and got the boys to understand their purpose and it narrow our focus and build into the games.
“The boys are in much better condition than we have been in the past thanks to Moana Pasifika and while that first season was always going to be tough for them having seven months as a professional player and living and breathing that was massive for us. The players weren’t coming straight from club rugby to test rugby and it allowed us to spend less time getting the boys to catch up and more time on how we wanted to play.
“We have tests in November with Italy, Georgia and Romania and between now and the World Cup our only Tier One match is with Italy which is frustrating. We would love a few harder games and we are trying to organise some outside the test windows but bringing all our guys together is tough. I can only focus on how to keep improving our squad.
“The only way to change perceptions about Samoa is through our results and one of the key areas since I took this role was to create something players want to be part of. Pulling on heartstrings, making themselves available for Samoa – I want every eligible player to choose the blue jersey. I hope we are on that pathway where boys chose to represent Samoa before any other country.”
Having won the PNC while New Zealand lost a home test series to Ireland suggests Mapusua could offer under-fire All Blacks coach Ian Foster a few tips about winning international matches. “I am still contacting him for advice and I haven’t been in the coaching game long enough to give anyone advice. I am just happy to keep learning.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments