Sevens team named for Wellington
The Samoa Rugby Union has officially announced the Manu Samoa Sevens team for the HSBC World Series in Wellington next weekend.
The 14 man roster features an interesting mix of new players as well as familiar fixtures from the previous legs.
Tila Mealoi is still the man leading the charge flanked by fellow Apia Maroon Silao Talimao Lefono.
Some familiar faces who will continue their journey in the blue jersey: Samoa Toloa, Siaosi Asofolau, and Lafaele Va’a.
And new to the line-up is Manu Samoa’s Malu Falaniko, Marists’ Joe Perez, Neria Fomai, Solia Tofatu.
Wellington will be the first official leg under the direction of Sir Gordon Tietjens which is met with great anticipation and high expectations.
Head Coach told the New Zealand Herald, “With Wellington, it’s a really tough pool. We’re fourth seeds, and it would exceed expectations to make the cup quarters.”
Samoa is pooled with New Zealand (local time: 2:41PM), France (5.42PM) , and the United States (9.36PM).
As fate would have it, Samoa will kick off their campaign in Wellington against Tietjen’s former side of 22 years, New Zealand.
“I suppose 22 years of expectations been lifted off my shoulders. I am looking to move Samoa up the ladder and get them to be a real force back in sevens rugby,” Tietjens told the Bay of Plenty Times.
Tietjens has wasted no time to whipping the men in blue in shape.
Beginning with over 18 players, the team travelled to New Zealand early in January to undergo extreme intensive training all culminating to this final moment.
Samoa participated in the Bay of Plenty Provincial Sevens tournament where they fared extremely well but that was just the warm-up. The team then convened at Mt. Maunganui where they underwent intense training centered around working on fitness and nutrition.
Finally, Samoa played a strong Japanese side at Mt. Manuganui Thursday acting as dress rehearsal for both teams before naming the final 14 man roster.
Manu Samoa Sevens Team for Wellington Sevens
GIVEN NAME |
FAMILY NAME |
VILLAGE(S) |
CLUB/ PROVINCE |
|
1 |
SILAO |
TALIMAO LEFONO |
LANO / LALOMALAVA |
APIA MAROONS/APIA |
2 |
ALAMANDA |
MOTUGA |
SAANAPU / SATAOA |
MANUREWA/COUNTIES MANUKAU |
3 |
FRANCIS |
IEREMIA |
MOATAA/TUANAI/FALEU MANONO TAI |
MOATAA/APIA |
4 |
LAFAELE |
VA'A |
VAILELE/SATAOA |
VAILELE/APIA |
5 |
TOMASI |
ALOSIO |
LEVI, SALEIMOA / FALEFA |
HOBM, WELLINGTON |
6 |
NERIA |
FOMAI |
MAGIAGI/LEPUIAI MANONO TAI |
HRS, HAWKES BAY |
7 |
TOFATU |
SOLIA |
MALAEMALU, TAFATAFA,SATALO FALEALILI |
LAULII/APIA |
8 |
LAALOI |
LEILUA |
LAULII / MALAELA/LOTOPUE MUTIATELE |
LAULII/APIA |
9 |
TILA |
MEALOI (CAPT) |
LALOMANU |
APIA MAROONS/APIA |
10 |
SAMOA |
TOLOA |
LALOVI MULIFANUA/SASAAI/SATOLEPAI |
SASAAI |
11 |
JOE |
PEREZ |
VAIGAGA/SALEAULA |
MARIST/VAIGAGA |
12 |
SIAOSI |
ASOFOLAU |
MANINOA, SIUMU, SATALO FALEALILI |
VAIALA/APIA |
13 |
MALU |
FALANIKO |
LANO/SASAAI/FASITOO TAI |
VAIALA/AANA |
14 |
ALEFOSIO |
TAPILI |
LEULUMOEGA/FALEFA |
MARIST/APIA WEST |
MANAGEMENT:
Manager: Ramsey Tomokino - Saina
Coach: Gordon Tietjens
Assistant Coach: Stephen Betham - Vaiala / Ululoloa
Physio: Kendall Elliot or Akbar Bhamji
Video Analyst: Ryan Piper