Sevens

Samoa names team with four changes

January 21, 2020 12:45 pm

David Afamasaga makes his retrn for Samoa 7s team [Source: World Rugby Sevens]

Samoa has made four changes to their squad for this weekend’s Hamilton Sevens.

Former captain David Afamasaga will make his first appearance of the season after missing the Oceania Sevens and Dubai and Cape Town tournaments through injury, although Tomasi Alosio will continue to lead the team on the field.

Laaloi Leilua is also back, having missed the opening two legs to return home and be with his family after his daughter contracted the measles virus.

Article continues after advertisement

Uaina Sione is poised to make his World Series debut after recovering from an injury sustained at the Oceania Sevens in November last year, while Va’afauese Apelu Maliko is set to make his first appearance on the global circuit since 2018.

Pacific Games sprint star Kelvin Masoe and Kirisimasi Savaiinaea are among the players to make way from the team that featured in South Africa, with Phillip Luki joining Melani Matavao and Pesamino Iakopo in the non-travelling reserves, while Manu Samoa winger Belgium Tuatagaloa has joined English Premiership club London Irish.

Head coach Sir Gordon Tietjens said the ability to make good one-on-one tackles had been a key focus in their preparation for the weekend.

Tietjens says the teams are getting punished with either yellow cards or penalties and it’s an area that Samoa has to get better at.

Samoa is pooled with Fiji, Australia and Argentina for the Hamilton 7s tournament.

Fiji plays its first match against Samoa at 12.47pm on Saturday, they will then face Australia at 6.35pm on the same day.

They will then take on Argentina at 11.57am on Sunday.

You can watch the Hamilton 7s live on FBC TV and FBC Sports.

[Source: Radio New Zealand]

MATCHTIMETEAM 1SCORETEAM 2POOL
SATURDAY25 JANUARY
M110:57AMIreland21 - 26CanadaPool C
M211:19AMFrance21 - 17SpainPool C
M311:41AMKenya19 - 24EnglandPool B
M412:03PMSouth Africa31 - 5JapanPool B
M512:25PMArgentina7 - 38AustraliaPool D
M612:47PMFiji19 - 12SamoaPool D
M701:09PMScotland7 - 24USAPool A
M801:31PMNew Zealand42 - 0WalesPool A
M904:24PMIreland28 - 17SpainPool C
M1004:46PMFrance12 - 12CanadaPool C
M1105:08PMKenya12 - 12JapanPool B
M1205:30PMSouth Africa19 - 21EnglandPool B
M1306:05PMArgentina40 - 0SamoaPool D
M1406:35PMFiji19 - 12AustraliaPool D
M1507:05PMScotland24 - 19WalesPool A
M1607:33PMNew Zealand26 - 5USAPool A
SUNDAY26 January
M1710:07AMCanada21 - 14SpainPool C
M1810:29AMFrance17 - 7IrelandPool C
M1910:51AMEngland26 - 7JapanPool B
M2011:13AMSouth Africa7 - 24KenyaPool B
M2111:35AMAustralia33 - 19SamoaPool D
M2211:57AMFiji10 - 26ArgentinaPool D
M2312:19PMUSA42 - 0WalesPool A
M2412:41PMNew Zealand38 - 12ScotlandPool A
KnockoutStages
M253:20PMEngland5 - 10FranceCup Semifinal
M263:42PMNew Zealand17 - 14AustraliaCup Semifinal
M2704:10PMSamoa21 - 7Wales15th Place Play-off
M284:32PMJapan10 - 12Spain13th Place Play-off
M294:54PMIreland19 - 24Scotland11th Place Play-off
M305:16PMFiji12 - 5South Africa9th Place Play-off
M315:38PMArgentina19 - 17Kenya7th Place Play-off
M326:00PMCanada28 - 7USA5th Place Play-off
M336:59PMEngland21 - 33AustraliaBronze Final
M347:56AMFrance5 - 27New ZealandCup Final