Samoa V PNG

[saddog]

I just found out that Samoa will play PNG on March 7 in Samoa. Can't imagine too many NRL/ESL players will be involved given the time of year. Still its more games for the Pacific nations which is a good thing.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

You'd have to wonder who exactly will be playing. PNG would have no trouble because they have a strong domestic comp to choose from even before they rope in a few Australian based players. But Samoa can't really rely too heavily on domestic players and be competitive. They are going to need to call up a lot of players from Australia and NZ. Good to see though.

 

[CABRA ROCKS]

PNG will Smash Samoa. They have a More Structured Local competition & Rugby League is like a Religon there, where as In Samoa Rugby Union is The Dominant code.. I would have Given Samoa a chance, if they had their Overseas Based Players playing ..but according to this Lineup they are all Local Based players ............... *** TAKEN FROM THE SAMOAN OBSERVER NEWSPAPER ***

Toa Samoa named Written by Filo Taituuga Thursday, 26 February 2009 14:56 The Toa Samoa test squad to play the inaugural home test match against Papua New Guinea Kumuls next weekend was announced yesterday by PM Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.

Rugby League Samoa named a strong 31-man strong to contest all tests and games this year including matches against the Kumuls, BARLA, FijiBati and Mini Games.
There are no surprises or bolters in the squad, with all players deriving from the local Samoa domestic competition.
Former Manu Samoa 7s player Paul Chan Tung has been named captain of the Toa Samoa, while bustling young prop Maugaloto Palu is the vice captain.

The team is:
Props
Maugaloto Palu
Tile Poutoa
Falesalafai Taulapapa
James Tavana
Tootoovao Luamanu
Anesi Seiuli

Second Rowers
Alesana Iosefa
Pesamino Alauni
Toalima Foailalo
Falefia Taulapapa
La’a Tematau

Loose forwards
Ponifasio Vasa
Tutasi Masoe
Vaoiva Iosia

Hookers
Lepupa Taualagi
Vaiaga Taiulu

Stand offs
Satia Sua
Afa Lesa

Halfbacks
Paul Apigi Chan Tung (Cpt)
Afa Fiafia
Ati Falefa

Centres
Neil Vili
Chris Lei Sam
Meki
Lance Laulala

Wings
Ki Tuifu’a
Saina Tinseni
Kose Tuimavave
Les Alauni

Fullback
Tupu Ulufale
Pati Tuavae

Head coach: Lauaki Fred Tuilagi
Assistant Coaches: Leapai Richard Brown & Darren Kellet
Manager: Taulealeausumai Laavasa Malua
Assistant Managers: Tofilau Henry & Vaaelua Gata Roebeck
Physio: Melanie Eade
PNG Liaison Te’o To’o & Mata’utia Phineas young

 

[LeagueXIII]

From Samoa Observer

http://www.samoaobserver.ws/index.p...id=4990:boot-on-the&catid=34:sports&Itemid=54

Boot on the other shoe http://www.samoaobserver.ws/index.p...n-the&format=pdf&option=com_content&Itemid=54 http://www.samoaobserver.ws/index.p...ut=default&page=&option=com_content&Itemid=54 http://www.samoaobserver.ws/index.p...vbi10aGUmY2F0aWQ9MzQ6c3BvcnRzJkl0ZW1pZD01NA== Written by Filo Taituuga Thursday, 26 February 2009 15:00

Former Manu Samoa first five Darren Kellet now Toa Samoa Assistant coach. Photo: Tofilau Uelese Tofilau.



Former Manu Samoa star Darren Kellet so often graced us with his astute and reliable kicking as a player, but now has the boot on the other foot.

The maestro five eighth is the new Toa Samoa assistant coach and has charge of the backs, a role he is reveling and thoroughly enjoying.
Kellet has recently relocated to live permanently in Samoa and occupies his time now between his family, The High Performance Unit, where he is a resource coach, and returning back to his first love, rugby league.


“I’ve been back a few weeks now and really enjoying it,” he enthused.
“I am really excited to give something back to Samoa rugby and league, this is where it all started out for me,” he said.

“When I was playing, things were in a different perspective, now living back here after 12 years I can see the new developments in Samoa as a country and in sports,” something he attests is positive for Samoa overall.
“Our young people are very lucky nowadays to have things like the high performance unit,” he said.
“When I was a player you had to rely on your skills, I only wish I had these opportunities as a young player,” he said cracking up.

“Before rugby my background was in rugby league,” he said.
“I played league since I was 5-years old and turned out for the Richmond Rugby League club in Auckland.”
Kellet played both codes growing up until his teenage years, before opting to commit and concentrate solely on playing 1st XV rugby at St Paul’s College in Auckland.

“The only reason I left league was because I switched to play for my school 1st XV rugby side and haven’t looked back,” he said.
With the inaugural Samoa-Kumuls home test a week away Kellet is really excited for his young players.
“Some of the boys in the team asked me the other day what it was like to play for Samoa.”

“I told them, to play for Samoa meant a lot to me as a player, and it was very special for me,” he remarked.
“When I first made the Manu Samoa team and got my first test jersey I slept in it,” he recalled fondly.
“I told the boys that to play a test match at home in front of your home crowd is something special and a real buzz.”
With the build up to the Kumuls test gathering momentum, Kellet admits finding time to wind down in between and catch up with former Manu Samoa players is always special.

“It’s always a special moment to meet up with many ex Manu Samoa and All Black players like Buncey after so long.”
“We met at JT’s bar after the final of the Marist 7s and had a real good catch up talking about the good old days and had lots of laughs.”
“That’s the thing about rugby and sports in general, it brings us all together again,” he said.

“Having to meet back here in a beautiful place like Samoa was even special.”
While Kellet was always accustomed to slotting goals in pressure cook situations of a test match, he will be preparing his players diligently to face their greatest test ever, a historic maiden home test match against a tough Kumuls side.

 

[playdaball]

There have been some great Samoan players and families to come out of the Richmond RL club:

Ah Kuoi
Solomona
Vagana
Yandall
Tuisamoa

 

[roughyedspud]

sdo that samoan side above is basically a 'residents' side ?

 

[playdaball]

sdo that samoan side above is basically a 'residents' side ?

Yep

 

[roughyedspud]

then is wish they'd be labeled as such cos,in a way, it shows the game has abit of depth..

 

[griff]

home tests for the island nations is one of the most important things that needs to happen in international RL, IMO. Despite the well known issues about the Samoan comp or lack thereof, this is a great development.

 

[roopy]

I'd like to see some Samoans who might be ready for the next WC and are playing NYC or NSW cup go over for the game.
I'd love to see Peter Mata'utia get a run.
I suspect all four Mata'utia brothers will play for Samoa in the next WC - or maybe not Sione since he is only 13 now.

 

[nadera78]

It will most likely be a PNG Residdents side in all but name too. It might actually be closer than it would appear at first glance because, although the Kumuls will undoubtedly be better players, their domestic players do tend to be on the small side. Most of the big 'uns in the WC were Aussie born and/or raised.

Samoans on the other hand won't be as talented as PNG but will probably be a lot bigger. The Kumuls will need to play a light and fast game, which takes us back (again!!!!) to who the referee is and how he controls the game.

 

[Coastbloke]

Is this a RLIF sanctioned game..??

If so, aren't they allowed to field their best players - and that includes NRL and ESL players..??

If not and they don't field their best team, is it a 'Test'..??

It's probaly a good thing they use all domestic players now anyway, with the Pacific Cup coming up later in the year, then they can assess which players can join their Professional colleagues in the tournament..

Isn't PNG also playing Fiji soon..??

 

[bender]

Is this a RLIF sanctioned game..??

If so, aren't they allowed to field their best players - and that includes NRL and ESL players..??

If not and they don't field their best team, is it a 'Test'..??

It's probaly a good thing they use all domestic players now anyway, with the Pacific Cup coming up later in the year, then they can assess which players can join their Professional colleagues in the tournament..

Isn't PNG also playing Fiji soon..??

ONe would imagine that they are allowed to choose whoever they want but for costs, development (or other) reasons they choose to use home based sides (much like australia has done in the soccer recently).

I dont see how it could be a 'test' match, because samoa are not one of the six official test nations at this stage.

I am astounded at some of the light criticism being aimed by some people at this game. Unless i am mistaken, it seems to be many of the same people who indicated at the world cup that they wanted to see all domestic based players! This is a very important game for international rugby league. The only shame is that it wont be televised in Australia, because with the right effort, it would not be long before such a game would get respectable ratings and help raise enough awareness of the game to attract sponsorship opportunities.

 

[hitman51]

It will most likely be a PNG Residdents side in all but name too. It might actually be closer than it would appear at first glance because, although the Kumuls will undoubtedly be better players, their domestic players do tend to be on the small side. Most of the big 'uns in the WC were Aussie born and/or raised.

Samoans on the other hand won't be as talented as PNG but will probably be a lot bigger. The Kumuls will need to play a light and fast game, which takes us back (again!!!!) to who the referee is and how he controls the game.

Thats abit of a bold statement to make about the samoan players if theres one thing samoan players dont lack its talent. These players maybe new to the game of league with rugby union backrounds but they come over to the great game with already proven abillities to at least play the game half of these guys were prominant up and coming rugby union players who have come thorugh the rugby union age grade teams to manu sevens and manu samoa devolompment squads an have throwin rugby away to play league. THe way the game is been devoloped in samoa they will leap frog png in the near future because talent wise the samoans are more suited to this form of game than the png better athletes with size to match.

This game will be close but png should come out on top they should have the experience to get them through but fure encounters i expect samoa to come out on top as the locals get more experience in the game.

 

[Pesamino]

It will most likely be a PNG Residdents side in all but name too. It might actually be closer than it would appear at first glance because, although the Kumuls will undoubtedly be better players, their domestic players do tend to be on the small side. Most of the big 'uns in the WC were Aussie born and/or raised.

Samoans on the other hand won't be as talented as PNG but will probably be a lot bigger. The Kumuls will need to play a light and fast game, which takes us back (again!!!!) to who the referee is and how he controls the game.

I'm not sure about that. How big are the PNG players? Local Samoan players aren't that big.

Samoa should do alright but PNG will win it. A lot of these Samoan players still play Union; it's fairly easy to do both in Samoa.


Brian Lima almost made the cut for this game but didn't turn up for training or a trial.

 

[Dave The Maori]

Thats abit of a bold statement to make about the samoan players if theres one thing samoan players dont lack its talent. These players maybe new to the game of league with rugby union backrounds but they come over to the great game with already proven abillities to at least play the game half of these guys were prominant up and coming rugby union players who have come thorugh the rugby union age grade teams to manu sevens and manu samoa devolompment squads an have throwin rugby away to play league. THe way the game is been devoloped in samoa they will leap frog png in the near future because talent wise the samoans are more suited to this form of game than the png better athletes with size to match.

This game will be close but png should come out on top they should have the experience to get them through but fure encounters i expect samoa to come out on top as the locals get more experience in the game.

there is no such thing as throwing rugby away in samoa bro . they all play rugby for their clubs and village teams. all the players selected in the toa samoa rugby league team to take on png were playing rugby last week in the tri-nation series ( between two samoan local teams, nz samoan and australia samoa), marist 7's, apia 7's and apia west 7's .
those selected in the toa samoa league team were from the players who didn't make it in the manu samoa 7's, savai'i samoa, upolu samoa (semi-pro pacific cup series) and manu samoa pacific nations cup squad .
it should be a good game and i think the samoan will give png a good run for their monry .

 

[hutch]

I dont see how it could be a 'test' match, because samoa are not one of the six official test nations at this stage.

it should be a test match, it is one country v another. all records and test caps, points etc should be recorded by the rlif, but do you think the pathetic rlif care about things like that? not when they run the rlif as a side project to the arl and nswrl.

I am astounded at some of the light criticism being aimed by some people at this game. Unless i am mistaken, it seems to be many of the same people who indicated at the world cup that they wanted to see all domestic based players! This is a very important game for international rugby league. The only shame is that it wont be televised in Australia, because with the right effort, it would not be long before such a game would get respectable ratings and help raise enough awareness of the game to attract sponsorship opportunities.

exactly right. games like this are important to give domestic players the chance to represent their country, and to continue to spread the rugby league gospel in these countries. hopefully, next year we can have our international weekend that was supposed to happen this year, but was "too hard" to organise around the nrl. aus v nz, fiji v png, tonga v samoa, eng v france, ire v wal, scot v russia, usa v russia etc.

 

[saddog]

Apparently Samoa won 24-18

 

[roopy]

Apparently Samoa won 24-18

That is an excellent result for Samoa.
We know that a domestic selection for PNG can hold their own in the PNG 'origin' games against a side with several NRL and ESL players, so for Samoa to rise to that level with 'domestic' players is outstanding.
I hope some talent scouts made the game.

 

[hutch]

is there anywhere we can read a match report?