New beards for new league nines
9 August:
A recent training match between the national league nines squad and national touch team was a huge eye opener for the league squad during their final stages of preparation for the Samoa South Pacific Games later this month.
The light and speedy touch players were out to run rings around the league squad and even managed to score a try or two against their league counterparts.
When the 15-man league squad gathered on Tuesday evening for training, the talk went like this: "That's what they did to us on Saturday! Do that sequence again!"
Player-coach Kevin Iro's commands rang around the Tereora national stadium as he encouraged and pushed the team to perfect game play.
Coach Albert 'Alby' Nicholas says that with just two weeks to go before the games, team training has been 80 percent about ball handling skills and 20 percent about fitness.
The abbreviated nine-a-side league concept is a new one to the squad members, but Nicholas says that the team has adapted well with most of the players in the squad having past experience in league sevens and rugby sevens.
The game is played in two nine-minute halves meaning that the local squad will need to be pumped and ready to go as soon as the kick-off whistle goes.
The fast-paced game demands minimal mistakes as a dropped ball or missed pass could easily be turned into points or pressure by the opposition.
Running at pace on to the ball, having clear directions, out manoeuvring the opposition and being on the ball from go have been drummed into the squad for months and months, resulting in a very confident looking league side.
While the local 15-man league squad train under the watchful eye of Iro and Nicholas, overseas a handful of players are also being earmarked as potential squad members.
The local boys include brothers Duane and Bilsy Gukisuva, Teina Savage, Gabriel Tamangaro, Lloyd Matapo, Bruce Goldsworthy, Andrew Iroa, Louis Nicholas, Turori Matutu, Ed Teraitua, Sean Wichman, Tariu Tukaroa, Alfred Manu, Ngatamaine Rongo, Trends Poila and Kevin Iro.
In New Zealand, Jason Tou, Mana Hosking and Papa Mataroa are as prepared for the games as the local squad, and likewise Aaron Enoka in Australia.
According to Nicholas, the New Zealand and Australian based players will be ready to join the league team in Samoa if they are called up.
Kevin Iro is in constant contact with the overseas players and their club coaches to make sure that their training is consistent.
As league nines is a new code in the South Pacific Games, Nicholas says he hasn't really done much research into other teams taking part, choosing to concentrate mainly on the progress and game plan of his own team.
However, league president Charles Carlson, who was watching the training on Tuesday evening, says that the usual suspects Fiji, Samoa and Tonga will be the teams to look out for.
He believes that the local side needs to play with more intensity but is confident that the boys can do so when the time comes.
This Saturday the league squad will meet the rugby sevens players at the Tupapa field for another training match.
The training matches between the league, sevens and touch squads have given coaches an excellent indication of the match preparedness of their players.
There is no doubt that the players in the league team have great rapport with each other and their coaches, as they are forever joking about the growth of one and other's facial hair - which will set them apart from rival teams.
Countries competing in the league nines tournament at the games are Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Niue, Tokelau and the Cook Islands. The competition will be played on Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 September at the Marist St Joseph's Stadium in Lotopa, Samoa.
