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Manu Samoa name 13 New Zealand-based players in squad to face Maori All Blacks and Tonga
13 New Zealand-based players, including five from club rugby, have been named in the latest Manu Samoa squad to face the Maori All Blacks and Tonga in June and July.
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Announcing his squad on Friday, Manu Samoa head coach Seilala Mapusua named Crusaders prop Michael Alaalatoa has the national captain.
Alaalatoa will be joined by a further six Super Rugby players based out of New Zealand and Australia, while there are four Samoan-based players.
In total, the squad is represented by players plying their club trade in eight different countries – Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, England, Scotland, France and the United States.
There are also 13 new caps that have been named in the squad, including Glasgow Warriors prop Aki Seiuli, Counties Manukau duo Sam Slade and Kalolo Tuiloma, Melbourne Rebels hooker Albert Anae, Highlanders injury reserve Neria Fomai, former Waratahs hooker JP Sauni and ex-schoolboy star Losi Filipo.
The selections of those players will alleviate the absence of some European-based Samoan stars, such as Chris Vui of Bristol and Clermont’s Tim Nanai-Williams, due to travel and quarantine restrictions caused by COVID-19.
Mapusua said the upcoming tests, which includes a 2023 World Cup qualifier series against Tonga, is vital for Samoa in what will be the country’s first test appearances since the 2019 World Cup.
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“This is a very important initial campaign for us playing the qualifier against Tonga and also privileged to play the Maori All Blacks as lead up to the qualifier,” he said.
“This will be my first campaign and considering the impacts of COVID-19 it wasn’t an easy task selecting the Manu. However, I am very confident we have the best players to represent the jersey and earn us a spot for Rugby World Cup 2023.”
Manu Samoa will kick their mid-season internationals off on June 26 when they face the Maori All Blacks in Wellington, who they will play again as part of a double-header with the All Blacks and Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on July 3.
Mapusua’s side will then play their first World Cup qualifier clash with Tonga in Auckland on July 10, before meeting their Pacific neighbours again on July 17 as part of another double-header with the All Blacks and Fiji at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on July 17.
Manu Samoa squad to play Maori All Blacks and Tonga
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Ah See Tuala – Northampton Saints
AJ Alatimu – Seattle Seawolves
Aki Seiuli* – Glasgow Warriors
Alamanga Motuga – Counties Manukau
Albert Anae* – Melbourne Rebels
Auvasa Falealii – Papatoetoe, New Zealand
Ben Nee Nee – Kamaisihi Seawolves
D’Angelo Leuila – Fraser Tech, New Zealand
Dwayne Polataivao – Pakuranga, New Zealand
Elisapeta Alofipo* – Tama Uli Salelologa
Henry Stowers – Brumbies
Henry Taefu – Western Force
Jack Lam – NEC Green Rockets
Joe Perez* – Laulii Lions
John Vaili – Aana Chiefs
JP Sauni* – Associates, Australia
Kalolo Tuiloma* – Counties Manukau
Losi Filipo* – Bay of Plenty
Michael Alaalatoa (c) – Crusaders
Neria Formai* – Hawke’s Bay
Olajuwon Noa* – Hunter Wildfires, Australia
Ray Niuia – Blues
Rodney Yona – Brumbies
Sam Slade* – Counties Manukau
Seilala Lam – Perpignan
Stacey Ili – Melbourne Rebels
Teofilo Paulo – Avalon, New Zealand
Theodore McFarland* – Moamoa Roosters
Tietie Tuimauga* – Manawatu
TJ Ioane – Glasgow Warriors
Tomasi Alosio* – Hutt Old Boys Marist, New Zealand
* – indicates an uncapped player
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments