A Samoan journalist based in New Zealand believes the success of Toa Samoa has united Samoans the world over and the impact the team has made for the island nation should be harnessed. 

Anric Sitanilei is a social media journalist with Radio New Zealand and has come home to Malie to work on a video project.

He said Samoans in New Zealand had never been so united.

“It has united the South Pacific community. There was a time when the Samoans and the Tongans were butting heads during the quarter finals," he said.  

"but right now you just don’t see Samoan flags being waved around but you see Tongan flags, Tokelauan flags, you see Fijian flags.

“It is safe to say that Toa Samoa has brought the entire South Pacific community together.”

Mr. Sitanilei said Samoa has been put under a spotlight as all eyes are on a tiny nation which is barely visible on the world map.

He said the impact of the Toa Samoa provides opportunities for the nation’s tourism and with the interest shown in the country, people now want to travel here.

The journalist said if the authorities tapped into this opportunity, it could translate to economic gains that would benefit thousands of Samoans.

He said this team will be talked about for many years to come.

“The scenes that you see around South Auckland, Wellington and even in Hamilton, you feel that sense of pride,” he said. “I don’t think there is enough words to successfully describe. 

"It is more than pride. The team has never reached this far on the world stage.”

Mr Sitanilei feels very strongly that the team should be brought to Samoa to let the people know that their support has been heard by them.

“It is the only right thing to do. The way the people have supported the team, it is only right for the boys to come home and celebrate it with the people of Samoa,” he added. 

Samoans constitute one of New Zealand's most sizeable ethnic minorities. In the 2018 census, a total of 182,721 New Zealanders identified themselves as being of Samoan ethnicity with 55,512 stating that they were born in Samoa, and 861 saying that they were born in American Samoa.

The Samoan language is the third most spoken language in New Zealand.