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The Leali'ifano verdict on Samoa ahead of final match versus England
Christian Leali’ifano has delivered a message for England ahead of next weekend’s Pool D finale in Lille. Defeat for Samoa on Thursday night left the English progressing to the quarter-finals as group winners with a match to spare, but that doesn’t mean the Stade Mauroy fixture on October 7 is a dead rubber.
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While Japan and Argentina set to face off in a battle in Nantes the next day to decide who progresses to the knockouts as the pool’s runner-up, the Pacific Islanders still have a chance of finishing third which would qualify them automatically for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
That’s a prize worth getting stuck into England for. “Absolutely,” enthused Leali’ifano to RugbyPass as he moved through the post-game mixed zone in Toulouse.
“Anything can happen in a World Cup and it’s just to give ourselves a chance more on finishing on our terms and putting in a performance that we can continue to be proud of.
“It’s a really important game. We’ll review this one hard because we want to improve and prepare as best we can for a really tough game next week.”
"With the game the way it is now, you're working with milliseconds and millimetres in terms of getting it right and getting it wrong."
– Seilala Mapusua reviews the Rugby World Cup loss by his card-troubled Samoa to Japan in Toulouse. #RWC2023 | #JPNvSAM #Rugby pic.twitter.com/RZppbqNcYc
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 29, 2023
While two defeats in three outings at France 2023 is a disappointment for Samoa who were hoping to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1995, the last three and a bit months together under Seilala Mapusua have been a wonderful opportunity to lay the foundation for long term progress.
“We have spoken about the growth in our team, a lot of our young guys getting exposure at this level are really growing and understanding what it takes to be able to play at the standard that is required and Samoa is in a really good space,” enthused the 36-year-old Leali’ifano, who represented Australia at the 2019 finals in Japan before changing Test team allegiance.
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“Obviously, results are pretty disappointing but we have got amazing management and coaching, some nice senior players that are really stepping up and driving the standard of Samoan rugby. Like we are seeing with the (other) Pacific Islanders, we are hoping to go from strength to strength and continue to improve.”
More matches against tier-one nations in the next four-year cycle in between World Cups would be a major help.
“Exactly, those are things that we want to continue to push for, exposure to the tier one nations and the higher quality games to be able to help us grow and continue to strengthen the game around the world.
“If we can get a few more big Test matches in between these World Cup cycles it would definitely help smaller nations improve as we have seen so far.”
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Even though it was close to one in the morning and Leali’ifano was the final player from either Samoa or Japan to come through the mixed zone, he represented his sport well and he finished by paying tribute to Japanese rugby fans for their support of him, a former Top League player before linking up these past two years with Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby Pacific.
“Thank you very much for the support,” he said when asked by a large Japanese media pack if he had a message for them. “Japanese supporters are the best in the world, so respectful and loving. It’s nice to play in front of the Japanese, the level of respect and love is always great. Thank you.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments