2019 Oceania Cup Test - Sat 2 Nov - SAM 18-44 FIJ @ Eden Park

[League Unlimited News]

2019 Oceania Cup - Test Match
Samoa v Fiji
Eden Park, Auckland NZ
Saturday 2 November 2019
Kickoff 12:20pm AEDT, 2:20pm NZ local time.

1. Ronaldo Mulitalo 2. Jorge Taufua 3. Timoteo Lafai 4. Joseph Leilua 5. Brian To'o 6. Marion Seve 7. Jarome Luai 8. Junior Paulo 9. Danny Levi 10. Martin Taupau 11. Tino Faasuamaleaui 12. Michael Chee-Kam 13. Bunty Afoa
Interchange: 14. Dunamis Lui 15. Moses Leota 16. Luciano Leilua 17. James Gavet
Reserves: 18. Ligi Sao 19. Lalotoa Mata'afa

1. Sitiveni Moceidreke 2. Isaac Lumelume 3. Taane Milne 4. Brayden Wiliame 5. Suliasi Vunivalu 6. Kevin Naiqama 7. Brandon Wakeham 8. Kane Evans 9. Joe Lovodua 10. Tui Kamikamica 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Ben Nakubuwai 13. D'Rhys Miller
Interchange: 14. Lamar Liolevave 15. Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu 16. King Vuniyayawa 17. Penioni Tagituimua
Reserve: 18. Junior Roqica


Match Officials
Referee: Grant Atkins
Sideline Officials: Stephane Vincent & Paki Parkinson
Video Referee: Jared Maxwell​

 

[MKCS]

Samoa should win this one and win well. Fiji has a fair few NSW cup players and only a couple of solid NRL players (Kikau, Vunivalu, Evans) not to mention a winger playing 5/8. Samoa has a team of NRL players.

International rugby league is a bit of a joke when Ronaldo Mulitalo who was playing for the USA just 2 weeks ago is now playing fullback for Samoa though.

 

[shear_joy9]

Massive crowd. Must be atleast 50 people there.

polar opposite pregame by each side. Samoa do a war dance screaming at the opposition while Fiji do their singing with half the players in tears

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Wow. Great start to Fiji

 

[Diesel]

Rugby in Fiji could be in trouble if the national side perform like this and the NSW Cup team are competitive

 

[BadnMean]

Rugby in Fiji could be in trouble if the national side perform like this and the NSW Cup team are competitive

Certainly it could grow. Union treats the Pacific poorly. If League made a better effort consistently (which is starting, but how about some appearance money, a regular Pacific schedule etc) it could really make an impact.

But Union is still far & away more popular in Tonga, Samoa etc who have had decent teams for a while. 7s Team in Fiji are national heroes while plentyof people have still never bothered to watch a game of league.

But I DO think the scope is there to make league relevant within as little as 5 years with the changes you've said (Bati who win occasionally & the NSW Cup team) & possibly overshadow or match union within a generation.

 

[AJB1102]

I was talking to a Fijian bloke who moved here in January. He said RL was getting really popular over there recently.