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Samoa roll out big guns for World Cup opener
After a season of chopping and changing, Samoan head coach Vaovasamanaia Seilala Mapusua has settled on a strong match-day 23 for the side’s opening World Cup clash with Chile.
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Three weeks following an impressive showing against the world’s top ranked side, Ireland, in Bayonne, Mapusua has made just three changes to the starting line-up that came within a whisker of knocking the Irish off their perch.
Regular captain Michael Alaalatoa has been reinstated to the No 3 jersey in place of Paul Alo-Emile and will partner James Lay and Seilala lam in the front row.
The back five all retain their spots from the previous match, with Chris Vui and Theodore McFarland named as locks and Taleni Seu, Fritz Lee and Steven Luatua rounding out the forward pack.
In the halves, Jonathan Taumateine retains the No 9 jersey while the experienced Christian Leali’ifano comes into the starting line-up in place of former All Blacks Lima Sopoaga, who performed admirably in his Manu Samoa Test debut against Ireland.
Leali’ifano is one of three players in the team, alongside Luatua and Sopoaga, to have previously played Test rugby for another nation. While Luatua and Sopoaga represented New Zealand, Leali’ifano was Australia’s top points scorer from the 2019 World Cup.
Tumua Manu and Ulupano Junior Seuteni hold down the midfield while Danny Toala’s introduction on the right wing is the sole change to the back three. Nigel Ah Wong holds his spot on the left while France-based Duncan Paia’aua will don the No 15 jersey for the second match in a row after spending the earlier Tests in the midfield.
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Samoa’s battle with Chile will kick off at 3pm CET on Saturday from the Stade de Bordeaux.
Samoa: Duncan Paia’aua, Danny Toala, Ulupano Seuteni, Tumua Manu, Nigel Ah Wong, Christian Leali’ifano, Jonathan Taumateine, Steven Luatua, Fritz Lee, Taleni Seu, Theodore McFarland, Chris Vui, Michael Alaalatoa, Seilala Lam, James Lay. Reserves: Sama Malolo, Jorday Lay, Paul Alo-Emile, Samuel Slade, Jordan Taufua, Ereatara Enari, Lima Sopoaga, Ed Fidow.
Comments on RugbyPass
Big empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
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