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What to know about England's opposition this week: Samoa's Manusina
Long before the full-time whilst went in Salford, rubber-stamping a record Wallaroos World Cup score, and consigning Samoa to the bottom of the pile for what was a magnificent opening weekend – the crowd (even a few of those in gold) were signed-up, full-throttle, lifelong members of the Manusina Fan Club.
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Half breaks, turnovers, and – eventually – hotly-contested rucks were cheered as though virtuosic solo scores, and Ana-Maria Afuie was roared from the field after 65 wily, mullet-whipping minutes as though she were Sale Sharks royalty.
At various points, Samoa’s discipline vanished, their set piece faltered, and they let so many backfield balls bounce it was like watching the Red Roses receive restarts in Sunderland – but they also took it to the world number sixes for 80 minutes in their first World Cup match since 2014 – and took it to them via a set of front rowers with the inexorable momentum of tectonic plates.
It will be a rout for the Red Roses – even if John Mitchell rotates so hard they exit the tunnel as though departing a waltzer – but Manusina are formidable just for being present at this tournament – and more than deserve informed audiences.
My eye-opening and heart-warming visit to their base this week will go down as a personal World Cup highlight, and it’s a genuine honour to cover these women.
World Cup history: Samoa have contested three tournaments – posting their best result on debut in 2002, when they beat both Ireland and Wales en route to 9th: none too shabby, considering they’d played their first ever test just two years previously.
In 2006, Spain were their bogey team – edging them in the pool and then again to consign them to 10th – before they spent a cycle in the wilderness: missing out entirely in 2010.
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In France, they had a torrid time of it – winless, with a points difference of -133 – before they were reduced to bystanders yet again in 2017, and were then forced to withdraw from the final qualification tournament in 2022 due to Covid travel restrictions.
But they’re back: ranked 15th in the world, and winning hearts wherever they go.
Last cycle: The women in blue got off to a flyer in 2023, with a historic 19-18 triumph over Fijiana for their first Oceania Championship – which saw them rubbing shoulders with giants in the inaugural WXV 2. They’d not win a game, but coming within 10 of the USA – nabbing a try bonus point in the process – proved their competitiveness at this level.
Manusina weren’t able to defend that precious continental crown in 2024 – unable to live with Fiji’s blistering start in the decider – and so were WXV3’ers that autumn. It was Spain who would dance beneath silverware in the Dubai desert, but Samoa constructed an undefeated campaign – drawing with the Netherlands and putting 91 combined points on both Madagascar and their fiercest Pacific rivals – and, most importantly, inking themselves in for this year’s marquee dust-up.
In the official photo of the group – crowding around a ‘#RWC2025: QUALIFIED’ board, beaming and pointing skyward in jubilation – there’s one kneeling figure who draws the eye.
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Their talismanic captain Sui Tauaua-Pauaraisa – who’d played every minute, bar a brief, yellow card-enforced breather, and who spoke with glistening eyes this week about the sacrifices she has made to pull on that blue jersey whilst taking care of her daughters – tilts her head back, eyes closed, arms outstretched between corners of a Samoan flag: overcome. The 36-year-old was finally headed to a World Cup, with a whole nation of daughters to inspire: she and her rugby sisters would scale the sport’s summit once more.
Coach: Mataafa Ramsey Tomokino – razor sharp, but deeply, infectiously passionate about this team – has worn an extraordinary number of hats within the game. A cap and coach in both sevens and 15s, he’s worked in the Cook Islands, New Zealand, and his native Samoa – where he’s currently both Manusina Head Coach, and the union’s High Performance General Manager.
His last World Cup was in 2007, in France – where he was a video analyst as the men’s side signed off their campaign by scalping the USA – and he’ll be hoping to replicate that 18 years on, in his final outing in this role.
Samoa aren’t in England to make up the numbers, he argues – and he’s scrapped, even as far as reaching into his own pocket, to prepare them. As has perennially been the case – they’ve struggled for player availability and top-tier opposition pre-tournament – but have managed hit-outs against Australia A and Fiji, plus camps in Canberra and Auckland.
Tomokino’s charges want ‘to compete against the best in the world, take each opponent at a time, and make their families proud.’
So far? So good.
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Squad overview: Suffer a 12-year absence from this stage, and your squad – by default – consists of 32 debutants: including two uncapped athletes and 22 with single-figure cap tallies. Anticipating financial restraints and family commitments chipping away at his player pool, Tomokino placed real emphasis on depth over the past two years, and was delighted at the competition he witnessed ahead of selection.
There’s a unity to be found in the face of such adversity, Pauaraisa added – and she’s genuine faith in this new crop’s ability to use the World Cup as a catalyst for the game in Samoa. ‘We’ve worked so hard to get back on the map: it’s a dream come true.’
Star players: Fizzing and thumping just along the back row from her captain is Sinead Ryder – who began her career out on the wing, but was soon moulded into a flanker by coaches at her Wellington club, Marist St Pat’s. She took to contact like a muscular duck to water, but has never lost that linking ability – nor turn of pace.
She was soon one of Wellington Pride’s stars – so much so that she was invited into a Black Ferns camp – rampaging across the flank from a certain Maddie Feaunati…
We’ve already mentioned her, but don’t take your eyes off hyper-dynamic scrum-half Afuie, who wore the nine jersey against the Wallaroos, but has popped up across the back division of outfits all around Australasia. No stranger to international sevens and 15s, she shone for Hurricanes Poua in the inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki.
Fun fact: You’re not seeing double: there are two Onesemos in the squad. Twins Christabelle and Demiselle – who have eight other siblings – recently became the first set of sisters to represent Samoa in the women’s game.
‘Bella’ and ‘Ella’ (born five minutes later) have been involved in Manusina squads since they were just 14, and were sent to New Zealand around that time for better facilities and opportunities – googling ‘rugby league rules’ en route to their first match in Richmond, and yet impressing so much that they went on to represent Ahi Ka Aotearoa.
They each wear malu – a tattoo symbolising protection, service, and pride in their heritage – on their legs, which reminds them, Demielle has said, of the ‘responsibility and honour’ they hold every time they step onto that field.
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