TOUR REPORT
21
Date 25 September 2007
Samoa determined to grasp last chance
Pride at stake: Samoa coach Michael Jones
PARIS, 25 September – When Samoa meet the USA in Saint-Etienne
on Wednesday they will be fighting to avoid the unwanted distinction
of finishing last in Pool A.
While USA
play one more match (against South Africa), Samoa have reached
the end of the line and are desperate to restore their reputation
and pride.
"We're
actually fighting for the wooden spoon - which is to not (to)
be the wooden spooners - which for a proud country like ours and
a proud rugby nation it means a lot for us to finish well,"
Samoa head coach La’auli Michael Jones said.
La’auli
has had his work cut out for him during RWC 2007, losing nearly
a dozen players to injury in the side's first three matches.
Chiropractor
out
To make matters
worse, veteran player Brian 'The Chiropractor' Lima has been suspended
for three weeks following a judicial hearing on Monday.
Lima, who
is retiring after the tournament, was cited for a dangerous tackle
against England star Jonny Wilkinson during the match in Nantes
on Saturday. Elvis Seveali'I starts at inside centre in Lima's
place.
"It's
a tragedy for him and Samoa and all the supporters of the world
who loved watching Brian play," La’auli said. "The
real pity is this is the first time in 18 years he has ever been
cited."
On a brighter
note, La’auli is hopeful full back Loki Crichton, who scored
17 points against England on Saturday (22 September), will be
able to turn it on again. The match against USA may also see 19-year-old
Naama Leleimalefaga, who has been named on the bench.
While Samoa
have spent the last fortnight dogged by injury and bruised by
consecutive losses to Tonga and England, the USA team have had
a 14-day break.
Practice
match
After they
were beaten 25-15 by Tonga in their last RWC 2007 match on 12
September, the Eagles supplemented their regular training regime
with a practice match against a local French team from Bourgogne.
Although no official score was kept, and no conversions attempted,
the game reportedly ended with USA scoring four tries to three.
USA head coach
Peter Thorburn has tweaked his starting line-up for the match.
Second row Hayden Mexted will earn his seventh cap, while 34-year-old
Fifita
Mounga and South African-born Philip Eloff will play their first
game of this tournament. Henry Bloomfield and Albert Tuipulotu
have been relegated to the bench, while Mike Mangan has not been
included in the squad.
"It will
again be a physical game and we have to be careful with their
individual skills," Thorburn said.
The match
will be particularly challenging for USA replacement fly half
Valenese Malifa, who was born in Samoa, and several others in
the team who have Samoan heritage.
Malifa said
he was looking forward to the match.
