England v Samoa

[Clarkent]

No need be respectful, I'm quite happy for you to leave our NZers alone. Even though merely three posts later and you've now pinched Erin Clark.

Erin Clark did play for samoa first tho

 

[Matua]

Erin Clark did play for samoa first tho

Yeah, cos you bastards poached him ...

TBH, I was surprised he made the Kiwis. Looks like all the half Samoan half Maori hookers wind up playing for Samoa (Levi, Clark, CHT if he plays there).

 

[Perth Red]

Samoa out to make new history in return to England for Test series

It is being promoted in England as a “revenge tour”, but Toa Samoa coach Ben Gardiner's view the historic Test series as a steppingstone for the 2026 World Cup.

www.nrl.com

 

[taste2taste]

Samoa will need to be at full strength to challenge England.

Jnr Paulo needs season ending surgery.

Let's hope that's the first and last with drawl.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Samoa out to make new history in return to England for Test series

It is being promoted in England as a “revenge tour”, but Toa Samoa coach Ben Gardiner's view the historic Test series as a steppingstone for the 2026 World Cup.

www.nrl.com

Why would Samoa be going to England for revenge? They won. It is England that will be wanting revenge. Looking forward to this series. Hopefully Samoa send a full strength side.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Must say though having halves like Luai and Katoa for the next decade or so make Samoa and Tonga an increasing threat.

Bonus for Samoa are guys like Chrighton, RTS and To'o plus a big forward pack. Surely this Samoan golden generation could pull off a major trophy in the next 8 - 10 years. So much big game experience.

 

[Clarkent]

Samoa will need to be at full strength to challenge England.

Jnr Paulo needs season ending surgery.

Let's hope that's the first and last with drawl.

I don't think Paulo would've made the Samoan team tbh he's been terrible this season and he's slowing down big time. I don't think we'll see Paulo in a Samoan jersey again

 

[Clarkent]

Must say though having halves like Luai and Katoa for the next decade or so make Samoa and Tonga an increasing threat.

Bonus for Samoa are guys like Chrighton, RTS and To'o plus a big forward pack. Surely this Samoan golden generation could pull off a major trophy in the next 8 - 10 years. So much big game experience.

I agree. You can also add in Blaize Talagi and CHT fighting for that 6 jersey

 

[taste2taste]

I don't think Paulo would've made the Samoan team tbh he's been terrible this season and he's slowing down big time. I don't think we'll see Paulo in a Samoan jersey again

Who have you got for starting props and bench prop ?

At the very least Jnr gives experience having played Origin and a WC final.

 

[Clarkent]

Samoan team based on form right now

1 Sua Faalogo
2 Murray Taulagi
3 Stephen Critchon
4 Izack Tago
5 Brian To'o
6 Chanel Harris-Tevita
7 Jarome Luai
8 Terell May
9 Danny Levi
10 Stefano Utoikamanu
11 Jayd'n Sua
12 Jeremiah Nanai
13 Heilum Luki

14 Blaize Talagi
15 Spencer Leniu
16 Royce Hunt
17 Conelly Lemuelu

 

[Clarkent]

Who have you got for starting props and bench prop ?

At the very least Jnr gives experience having played Origin and a WC final.

Terell May and Stefano Utoikamanu starting props for me.

Off the bench is
Spencer Leniu
Royce Hunt
Oregon Kaufusi

They're all playing better then Paulo right now

 

[Clarkent]

I'm a big fan of Paulo but the samoan coach has come out and said he's picking the team on players that will play at the world cup, I don't think Paulo will make the team in 2 years, also Josh Papali'i might be retiring by the end of the year. Without those two props the samoan team wouldn't have beaten Tonga and England at the world cup. They're a huge loss but Samoa needs to develop combination with limited games that they have every year.
I think Critchon will be the Samoan team capt and it's time to start a new era for the samoan team.

 

[Clarkent]

Must say though having halves like Luai and Katoa for the next decade or so make Samoa and Tonga an increasing threat.

Bonus for Samoa are guys like Chrighton, RTS and To'o plus a big forward pack. Surely this Samoan golden generation could pull off a major trophy in the next 8 - 10 years. So much big game experience.

Just watching the nsw camp I see Haas with the Panthers boys everyday doing activities and going out golfing. Hopefully they can convince Haas to play for Samoa. I just saw Jazz Tevagas interview in a podcast and he said a few big name players have already confirmed to play for Samoa. So it's going to be interesting to see who those players are.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Just watching the nsw camp I see Haas with the Panthers boys everyday doing activities and going out golfing. Hopefully they can convince Haas to play for Samoa. I just saw Jazz Tevagas interview in a podcast and he said a few big name players have already confirmed to play for Samoa. So it's going to be interesting to see who those players are.

Adding Haas and Tino to their current strongest lineup would pretty much have them as good as any international side.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Samoan team based on form right now

1 Sua Faalogo
2 Murray Taulagi
3 Stephen Critchon
4 Izack Tago
5 Brian To'o
6 Chanel Harris-Tevita
7 Jarome Luai
8 Terell May
9 Danny Levi
10 Stefano Utoikamanu
11 Jayd'n Sua
12 Jeremiah Nanai
13 Heilum Luki

14 Blaize Talagi
15 Spencer Leniu
16 Royce Hunt
17 Conelly Lemuelu

Pretty sure RTS has committed to Samoa

 

[Clarkent]

Pretty sure RTS has committed to Samoa

Yeah I'm hoping he does too. He'll be the fullback if he commits

 

[taste2taste]

Samoan team based on form right now

1 Sua Faalogo
2 Murray Taulagi
3 Stephen Critchon
4 Izack Tago
5 Brian To'o
6 Chanel Harris-Tevita
7 Jarome Luai
8 Terell May
9 Danny Levi
10 Stefano Utoikamanu
11 Jayd'n Sua
12 Jeremiah Nanai
13 Heilum Luki

14 Blaize Talagi
15 Spencer Leniu
16 Royce Hunt
17 Conelly Lemuelu

Has Jeremiah Nanai committed to Samoa ?

 

[taste2taste]

Pretty sure RTS has committed to Samoa

Nz will be pressing RTS to stay with them, Manu leaving leaves a huge hole and RTS is the obvious replacement.

 

[Clarkent]

Has Jeremiah Nanai committed to Samoa ?

I'm just going off by the samoan camp last season and he was quite involved with the team but we'll have to wait and see by the end of the year. Samoan coach also said Nanai is one of the players interested in joining the samoan team but also said we'll have to wait until the end of the year if they're still in the right mindset to play for samoa

 

[Matua]

Yeah I'm hoping he does too. He'll be the fullback if he commits

He'll be dead to me if he does ... but not as dead as JT as he's not going in his prime prime.