Manusina Samoa seizing chance to ‘build and grow’ at WXV Global Series Challenger

While Samoa did concede losses in rounds one and two of the WXV Global Series Challenger, they have also shown promising signs of growth under the new head coach, Bella Milo.

With one round to go, Manusina still have a chance to finish in fifth place, needing only to beat Hong Kong China and for Brazil to lose their contest against Spain.

Still, a few days remain, and for players like Olalini Tafoulua, it is vital to highlight the positives of Samoa’s campaign at WXV Global Series Challenger, especially when it is the start of a new era for Manusina.

“The connection within the team has improved, and our culture, in terms of getting to know each other, has become stronger as well. For us, it has been important to showcase the Samoan rugby culture to players who didn’t have a chance to grow in it, but who are here now helping the team.”

Prop Avau Filimaua, who started against Spain in last round’s game, holds the same opinion as the lock.

“Seeing the growth in our team and the amount of support we have for each other is great. We have new players, new management. It’s a new side of things for all of us, but we have managed to support each other in and out of the field.”

Next on the line is the home team, Hong Kong China, who will target a win as they seek a podium finish, making the clash one of the most interesting fixtures of a very entertaining weekend.

“It’s 100% important to be here and to be able to have this platform.” said Tafoulua, “I’m looking forward to face our sisters of the Hong Kong China team who have hosted us in these last two weeks.”

In both players’ views, the WXV Global Series Challenger has provided a reliable setting for teams like Samoa to develop and sharpen their skills ahead of the next Women’s Rugby World Cup, as Filimaua explains.

“I believe it is very important to play in a tournament like this, especially when we have World Cup qualifiers next year. It gives us an opportunity to build and grow before that very crucial moment. When that time comes, new and old faces will have grown accustomed to each other and be ready to take on the challenge.”

Speaking again, Tafoulua underlined how vital competitions like WXV Global Series Challenger are to the continued growth and long-term future of the sport in Samoa.

“It gives us a huge opportunity to grow in this sport, and the only way we can get better is by playing games year-round against teams like Fiji, Spain, etc. It helps us develop as players.”

With the 2026 edition of the WXV Global Series Challenger coming to an end on Saturday, Filimaua reflected on how much she has enjoyed the experience, sharing some of her favourite memories from the tournament.

“I have had plenty since getting here, but if I had to pick one, it has to be experiencing the culture and the city. It’s really cool that we get to experience countries like Hong Kong China, which makes it a more memorable journey for us. It’s a country that has a lot to offer.”

For Tafoulua, the most special moment of the tournament was discovering a Samoan community in Hong Kong China, whose members turned out in force to support the team during their matches against the Netherlands and Spain.

“As someone from Auckland, New Zealand, I am surrounded by Polynesians, so I see them every hour, every day. However, I wasn’t expecting to meet or see anyone from Samoa, but I was surprised. It was a very cool moment!”

With both the prop and lock set to return to their training schedules, the pair remained optimistic about Samoan rugby’s future.

Filimaua pointed to 2026 as a crucial year for the programme, believing it will play a key role in the team’s ongoing development and ambitions on the international stage.

“The growth of the WXV gives several opportunities to different nations and teams. Rugby is a growing sport, especially for the women’s game. We get to experience different settings and cultures and win more exposure.”

For Tafoulua, what happens on Saturday is important, setting the stage for the match against the local team.

“I really want us to bring our physicality to this last game! We shied away from that in our last game but I hope we can do well in this one.”