Samoa national rugby league team
2262678
225382904
2008-07-13T11:35:47Z
123.176.74.217
/* Possible 2008 World Cup Squad */
{{Infobox rugby league nation
| Name = Samoa
| Badge =
| Badge_size = 100px
| Nickname =
| Association = Samoan Rugby League
| Region = [[Oceania]]
| Coach = {{flagicon|New Zealand}} [[John Akland]]
| Captain = {{flagicon|Samoa}} [[Nigel Vagana]]
| Most caps =
| Top scorer =
| Home Stadium = National Stadium
| RLIF Rank = 12th
| pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_thindkbluesides|pattern_ra1=
| leftarm1=FF0000|body1=FF0000|rightarm1=FF0000|shorts1=191970|socks1=FFFFFF
| First game = {{flagicon|USA}} [[United States national rugby league team|USA]] 6 - 14 Western Samoa {{flagicon|Samoa}}<br/>([[Sydney]], [[Australia]]; February 1996)
| Largest win = {{flagicon|New Caledonia}} [[New Caledonia national rugby league team|New Caledonia]] 0 - 76 Samoa {{flagicon|Samoa}}<br/>([[Apia]], [[Samoa]]; [[20 October]] [[2004]]
| Largest loss = {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]] 66 - 10 Samoa {{flagicon|Samoa}}<br/>([[Watford]], [[England]]; [[11 November]] [[2000]])
| World cup apps = 1
| World cup first = 2000
| World cup best = Quarter-finals, [[2000 Rugby League World Cup|2000]]
}}
The '''[[Samoa]] rugby league team''' has been participating in international [[rugby league]] competition since 1988. From 1988 to 1997 this team was known as the '''Western Samoa''' rugby league team. This team is not to be confused with the [[American Samoa national rugby league team]].
=History=
Western Samoa has participated in the [[Rugby League Pacific Cup|Pacific Cup]] (1988-1996), World Sevens (1994, 1995) and [[Super League (Europe)|Super League]] World Nines (1996, 1997) competitions. [[Samoa]] has participated in the Pacific Cup (since 1998), [[Rugby League World Cup|World Cup]] (since 2000), World Sevens (2003) and Pacific Rim (2004) competitions. That Samoan team had the benefit of ex-[[All Blacks]] [[John Schuster]] and [[Va'aiga Tuigamala]] in their backline. When [[rugby union]] went professional players such as [[Apollo Perelini]] and [[Fereti Tuilagi]] left rugby league to return to the 15-man game.
==[[2008 Rugby League World Cup qualifying]]==
Samoa played in the Pacific Pool of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers. They beat [[Cook Islands national rugby league team|the Cook Islands]] and [[Fiji national rugby league team|Fiji]], but lost to [[Tonga national rugby league team|Tonga]]. On a points difference, Samoa came in third and had to play [[United States national rugby league team|USA]] in the Repecharge Semi Final. [[Samoa national rugby league team|Samoa]] won this match 42-10 and then played [[Lebanon national rugby league team|Lebanon]] on 14th November 2007 in the Repecharge Final to see who would take the 10th and final World Cup place. [[Samoa national rugby league team|Samoa]] came out eventual winners of the 10th and final [[2008 Rugby League World Cup]] place beating [[Lebanon national rugby league team|Lebanon]] 38-16 at the Chris Moyles Stadium, Featherstone.
==Possible 2008 World Cup Squad==
''As of [[14 November]], [[2007]]''
{| class="wikitable" width=99%
|-
!width=5%|Number
!width=25%|Name
!width=15%|Position
!width=20%|Club
!width=15%|Caps
|-
| 1 ||[[Tangi Ropati]]||align=center|Full Back||align=left|[[East Brisbane Tigers]]||align=center|
|-
| 2 ||[[Smith Samau]]||align=center|Wing||align=left|[[Gold Coast Titans]]||align=center|
|-
| 3 ||[[Willie Talau]]||align=center|Centre||align=left|[[St Helens RFC|St Helens]]||align=center|
|-
| 4 ||[[George Carmont]]||align=center|Centre||align=left|[[Wigan Warriors]]||align=center|
|-
| 5 ||[[Matt Utai]]||align=center|Wing||align=left|[[Canterbury Bulldogs]]||align=center|
|-
| 6 ||[[Nigel Vagana]](C)||align=Stand off|centre/five-eighth||align=left|[[South Sydney Rabbitohs|Souths]]||align=center|
|-
| 7 ||[[Motu Tony]]||align=center|Scrum Half||align=left|[[Hull FC]]||align=center|
|-
| 8 ||[[Reni Matua ]]||align=center|Hooker||align=left|[[Bulldogs ]]||align=center|
|-
| 9 ||[[Frank Puletua]]||align=center|Prop||align=left|[[Penrith Panthers]]||align=center|
|-
| 10 ||[[Tony Puletua]]||align=center|Second Row||align=left|[[Penrith Panthers]]||align=center|
|-
| 11 ||[[Ali Lauitiiti]]||align=center|Second Row||align=left|[[Leeds Rhinos]]||align=center|
|-
| 12 ||[[Harrison Hansen]]||align=center|Loose Forward||align=left|[[Wigan Warriors]]||align=center|
|-
| 13 ||[[William Leaumoana]]||align=center|Loose Forward||align=left|[[New Zealand Warriors]]||align=center|
|-
| 14 ||[[Evarn Tuimavave]]||align=center|Prop||align=left|[[New Zealand Warriors]]||align=center|
|-
| 15 ||[[Hutch Maiava]]||align=center|Prop||align=left|[[Cronulla Sharks]]||align=center|
|-
| 16 ||[[Sam Tagataese]]||align=center|Prop||align=left|[[Melbourne Storm]]||align=center|
|-
| 17 ||[[Mauloa Lafi]]||align=center|Second Row||align=left|[[Samoan club]]||align=center|
|-
| 18 ||[[Malo Solomona]]||align=center|Wing||align=left|[[New Zealand Warriors]]||align=center|
|-
| 19 ||[[Joe Vagana]]||align=center|Prop||align=left|[[Bradford Bulls]]||align=center|
|-
| 20 ||[[Francis Meli]]||align=center|Wing||align=left|[[St Helens RFC|St Helens]]||align=center|
|-
| 21 ||[[David Solomona]]||align=center|Second Row||align=left|[[Bradford Bulls]]||align=center|
|-
| 22 ||[[Iafeta Paleaaesina]]||align=center|Prop||align=left|[[Wigan Warriors]]||align=center|
|-
| 23 ||[[Kylie Leuluai]]||align=center|Prop||align=left|[[Leeds Rhinos]]||align=center|
|-
| 24 ||[[Gray Viane]]||align=center|Second Row||align=left|[[Salford City Reds]]||align=center|
|-
| 25 ||[[Junior Moors]]||align=center|Second Row||align=left|[[Penrith Panthers]]||align=center|
|-
| 26 ||[[Kane Bentley]]||align=center|Hooker/Five-eigth||align=left|[[Catalans Dragons]][http://www.superleague.co.uk/club.php?id=49006]||align=center|
|-
| 27 ||[[Rota Setu]]||align=center|Hooker||align=left|[[New Zealand Warriors]]||align=center|
|-
| 28 ||[[Frank Winterstein]]||align=center|Second-row||align=left|[[Canterbury Bulldogs|Bulldogs]]||align=center|
|-
| 29 ||[[Andrew Bentley]]||align=center|Second-Row||align=left|[[Catalans Dragons]][http://www.superleague.co.uk/club.php?id=49006]||align=center|
|-
|}
==2008 Possible Run on World Cup Squad==
{| class="toccolours"
! style="background:#0000CD; border:1px solid red; width:100%" |'''{{fontcolor|white|Samoan Possible 2007 Starting Team}}'''
|-
|align=center|
<div style="background:lightgreen;border:thin black solid">
{|
|-----
|[[Image:Bullscolours.svg|16px]] '''8''' [[Joe Vagana]]
|
|[[Image:Hullcolours.svg|16px]] '''9''' [[Motu Tony]]
|
|[[Image:Penrith colours.svg|16px]] '''10''' [[Frank Puletua]]
|-----
|
|[[Image:Rhinoscolours.svg|16px]] '''11''' [[Ali Lauitiiti]]
|
|[[Image:Penrith colours.svg|16px]] '''12''' [[Tony Puletua]]
|-----
|
||
|[[Image:Wigancolours.svg|16px]] '''13''' [[Harrison Hansen]]
|
||
|-----
| colspan="7" |
|-----
|
||
|[[Image:Penrith colours.svg|16px]] '''7''' [[Joseph Paulo]]
|-----
|
|| ||
|[[Image:South Sydney colours.svg|16px]] '''6''' [[Nigel Vagana]] '''(C)'''
|-----
|
|| || ||
|[[Image:Wigancolours.svg|16px]] '''4''' [[George Carmont]]
|-----
|
|| || || ||
|[[Image:Saintscolours.svg|16px]] '''3''' [[Willie Talau]]
|-----
|[[Image:Canterbury colours.svg|16px]] '''5''' [[Matt Utai]]
|
|| || || ||
|[[Image:Saintscolours.svg|16px]] '''2''' [[Francis Meli]]
|-----
|
|| ||
|[[Image:Flag of Samoa.svg|16px]] '''1''' [[Tangi Ropati]]
|}
</div>
|}
'''Replacements'''
*'''14''' [[Image:Bullscolours.svg|16px]] [[David Solomona]]
*'''15''' [[Image:Wigancolours.svg|16px]] [[Iafeta Paleaasina]]
*'''16''' [[Image:Redscolours.svg|16px]] [[Gray Viane]]
*'''17''' [[Image:Redscolours.svg|16px]] [[Phillip Leuluai]]
*'''18''' [[Image:Flag of Samoa.svg|16px]] [[Mauloa Lafi]]
*'''20''' [[Image:Hullcolours.svg|16px]] [[Hutch Maiava]]
*'''21''' [[Image:Flag of Samoa.svg|16px]] [[Taualagi Lepupa]]
*'''22''' [[Image:New Zealand colours.svg|16px]] [[Malo Solomona]]
*'''23''' [[Image:New Zealand colours.svg|16px]] [[Evarn Tuimavave]]
*'''24''' [[Image:Gold Coast Titans colours.png|16px]] [[Smith Samau]]
*'''25''' [[Image:Wigancolours.svg|16px]] [[Ponifasio Vasa]]
*'''26''' [[Image:Hullcolours.svg|16px]] [[Chris Vaefaga]]
*'''27''' [[Image:Rhinoscolours.svg|16px]] [[Kylie Leuluai]]
*'''28''' [[Image:Redscolours.svg|16px]] [[Chris Lei Sam]]
*'''29''' [[Image:Penrith colours.svg|16px]] [[Junior Moors]]
*'''30''' [[Image:New Zealand colours.svg|16px]] [[Rota Setu]]
*'''31''' [[Image:Manly colours.svg|16px]] [[Jack Afamasaga]]
*'''32''' [[Image:Eastern Suburbs colours.svg|16px]][[Setaimata Sa]]
=International Results=
* Samoa def. Lebanon 38-16 ([[14 November]] [[2007]])
* Samoa def. USA 42-10 ([[9 November]] [[2007]])
* England def. Samoa 38-14 ([[5 November]] [[2006]])
* France def. Samoa 28-6 ([[29 October]] [[2006]])
* Tonga def. Samoa 18-10 ([[22 October]] [[2006]])
* Samoa def. Fiji 30-28 ([[ ]] 2006)
* Samoa def. Cook Islands 46- ([[ ]] 2006)
* Tokelau def. Samoa 34-28 ([[05 March]] [[2006]])
* Cook Islands def. Samoa 44-0 ([[02 March]] [[2006]])
* Fiji def. Samoa 26-4 ([[23 February]] [[2006]])
* Tonga def. Samoa 34-20 ([[7 October]] [[2005]])
* Samoa def. Tonga 52-18 ([[23 October]] [[2004]])
* New Zealand Maoris def. Samoa 70-10 ([[21 October]] [[2004]])
* Samoa def. New Caledonia 76-0 ([[20 October]] [[2004]])
* Samoa def. Niue 36-18 ([[19 October]] [[2004]])
* Australia def. Samoa 66-10 ([[11 November]] [[2000]])
* Samoa def. Scotland 20-12 ([[5 November]] [[2000]])
* Samoa def. New Zealand Maoris 21-16 ([[1 November]] [[2000]])
* Ireland def. Samoa 30-16 ([[28 October]] [[2000]])
* Fiji def. Samoa 30-4 (1999)
* Samoa def. Fiji 6-1 (1999)
* Fiji def. Samoa 22-16 (1999)
* Tonga def. Samoa 24-8 (1998)
* Tonga def. Samoa 24-22 (1998)
* Samoa def. Niue 24-10 (1998)
* Samoa drew with Tonga 20-20 (1998)
==Western Samoa==
* New Zealand Maoris def. Western Samoa 39-16 (1996)
* Tonga def. Western Samoa (1996)
* Wales def. Western Samoa 22-10 ([[13 October]] [[1995]])
* Western Samoa def. France 56-10 ([[12 October]] [[1995]])
* Western Samoa def. Tonga 18-14 ([[31 October]] [[1992]])
* Western Samoa def. Australian Aborigines 44-26 ([[28 October]] [[1992]])
* Western Samoa def Niue 41-28 (1992)
* Western Samoa def. Cook Islands 66-12 (1992)
* Western Samoa def. Tonga 20-12 (1992)
* Western Samoa def. Fiji 32-18 (1992)
* Western Samoa def. New Zealand Maoris 26-18 (1990)
* Western Samoa def. Australian Aborigines 26-16 (1990)
* New Zealand Maoris def. Western Samoa 19-16 (1988)
* Western Samoa def. Tonga 40-30 (1988)
* Western Samoa def. Tokelau 40-18 (1988)
* Western Samoa def. Cook Islands 52-16 (1988)
===Super League World Nines Results===
* Western Samoa def. USA 30-10 (1997)
* Western Samoa def. USA 14-6 (1996)
===Student Results===
* Western Samoa def. USA 82-8 (1996)
==External links==
* [http://www.rugbyleague.org/index.php?showforum=210 Samoa Rugby League Fans Forums - RugbyLeague.org]
* [http://www.rlwc.com/ 2008 Rugby League World Cup Site]
{{Rugby League in Oceania}}
{{International Rugby League}}
[[Category:International rugby league teams]]
[[Category:Rugby league in Samoa]]