Here is the Samoa team that will line up against England at Twickenham this weekend.
15 Ahsee Tuala
14 Paul Perez
13 Kieron Fonotia
12 Alapati Leiua
11 David Lemi
10 Tim Nanai-Williams
9 Dwayne Polataivao
1 Jordan Lay
2 Motu Matu’u
3 Donald Brighouse
4 Josh Tyrell
5 Chris Vui (Captain)
6 Piula Faasalele
7 TJ Ioane
8 Jack Lam
16 Manu Leiataua
17 James Lay
18 Hisa Sasagi
19 Faatiga Lemalu
20 Ofisa Treviranus
21 Melani Matavao
22 Rey Lee-Lo
23 JJ Taulagi
Where do you think the main threats will come from? Can they cause England problems?
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
One discursive point…..how many of the above players will end up playing for NZ over the next 5-6 yrs?
Probably a few of them! With fewer and fewer white kiwi boys playing the game (ref my linked article on here 3-4 mths ago penned by a New Zealand sports writer…..I can’t be accused of bias)
the AB team officials must have four times the rugby footage to pour over….
1. Their own games
2. Samoa’s
3. Fiji’s
4. Tonga’s
That’s a lot of video analysis and player scouting across thousands of miles of Pacific ocean. I haven’t even mentioned my favourite of Vanuatu yet either!
Much simpler being an English scout i feel!
No discussion at all
None of them they are all capped Samoa players