Watch out fot Toa Samoa to do the damage. After watching Tonga get dismantled from a pretty average kiwis side, i'm putting my money on Toa Samoa to go all the way to the finals.

Why:  Because they are keeping things low key. They are a very rounded squad with a good balance between forwards and backs and plenty of game breakers amongst them. Even though they haven't played any games together they are professional enough and good enough to gell it together come game day. A very experienced management team lead by John Ackland (Coach), Fereti Tuilagi, Apollo Perelini, Willie Po Ching (Management).

Players to watch :

Harrison Hansen (Wigan warriors) - Voted the hitman in this years UK super league he brings to the Samoan team added defensive prowess. With the most tackles this season he's under the radar but come world cup time he will be one of the top tacklers. Position: 13

Ali Lauitiiti (Leeds Rhinos) - Still rated as one of the most gifted ball runners andd offloaders. He has the ability to cause havoc on any defense. Look for him to produce the goods in the world cup. Position: 8,10,11,12 or 13.

Daivd Solomona (Bradford Bulls) - A key man in the Samoan team as he'll be the enforcer. Witth great ball handling skills and speed for a prop he will be the go forward man. His combination with Ben Roberts and Ali Lauititi will se something to watch. Position: 8, 10m or 6.

Matt Utai (Canterbury Bulldogs) - One of the games best linebreakers. Even though the bulldogs did not make the semifinals, his form towards the end of year showed that he is back to his best. He and Francis Meli on one flank will cause trouble for all opposition. Position: 2.3,4 or 5.

Young players to watch:

Joseph Paulo (Penrith Panthers), Terence Seuseu (Cronulla Sharks), Lagi Setu (St. George now Brisbane Brocos),Ben Te’o (West Tigers),

For those who rate the samoan as a kiwis b team. Remember some of these players had opted to go for Samoa instead of the kiwis. Ali Lauitiiti, Francis Meli, David Solomona, Tony Puletua, Matt Utai, Harrison Hansen.

Possible starting Toa Samoa line up:

1. Tangi Ropati

2. Misi Taulapapa

3. Matt Utai

4. George Carmont

5. Francis Meli

6.  Nigel Vagana

7. Ben Roberts

8. David Solomona

9. Dave Faiumu

10. Kyle Leuluai

11. Ali Lauititi

12. Tony Puletua

13. Harrison Hansen

 

14.  Terence Seuseu

15.  Joseph Paulo

16.  Frank Puletua

17.  Lagi Setu

 

Toa Samoa World Cup squad:
George Carmont (Wigan), Dave Faiumu (Huddersfield), Harrison Hansen (Wigan), Ali Lauitiiti (Leeds), Taualagi Lepupa (Marist Saints), Kylie Leulua’i (Leeds), Wayne Mcdade (Auckland Vulcans), Francis Meli (St. Helens), Joseph Paulo (Penrith Panthers), Frank Puletua (Penrith Panthers), Tony Puletua (Penrtih Panthers), Ben Roberts, Tangi Ropati (East Brisbane), Smith Samau (Gold Coast Titans), Lagi Setu (St. George), Terence Seuseu (Cronulla Sharks), David Solomona (Bradford), Willie Talau (St. Helens), Albert Talipeau, Misi Taulapapa (Cronulla Sharks), Ben Te’o (West Tigers), Matt Utai (Canterbury Bulldogs), Tupu Ulufale (Marist Saints), Nigel Vagana (South Rabbitohs).

 

 

 

i friggin hope so....even better when they stick it to the aussies/nz/england and take out the damn thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What happened to Junior Sau from teh Knights? Is he playing for Samoa?

gary grouch:

What happened to Junior Sau from teh Knights? Is he playing for Samoa?

nope i dont think so

like the tongan team the samoan team looks good on paper but i would'nt throw all my eggs into the one basket & i would'nt pay attention to trial games especially seeing how people go in different positions.the score never reflected the game as nz just never game em the ball.

tonga will be a danger & watch PNG....they'll take some english heads off.costigan wants to bash em & when he says that,they will.fiji are flyin under the radar too & they are up for it.

there was alot of hype about the tongan team with all the talent in their squad,with dymock coach & billy johnstone as their conditioner & this beating was good for em to keep their feet on the ground so they don't believe what's been written & said with everyone blowing wind up thier asses & the world cup has'nt even started.i'm more wary of teams after a loss than a win coz they go into the mentality of getting it right & hungry.tonga have too much strike power like samoa & the next game will do tonga the world of good & i feel sorry for ireland coz tonga will take their anger (LOL) out on the poor irish men.

trust me that average nz team will beat oz,i can just feel it & world cups are'nt won now so don't be surprised if you see tonga in the final.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!  

The problem with Tongan team is they have good players but they need to play as a team. There weakness will be their halves. Feleti Mateo is a good runner and distributor but his kicking game is not so hot.

Who's throwing all their eggs in to one basket? That game on Saturday wasn't a trial game as that was Tonga's best team available and the kiwis had rested key players. Cayless, Soliola, Hohaia, Kidwell etc.

Experience will count for a lot. Samoa has the most experienced world cup squad:

PLAYERS WHO PLAYED AT 2000 WORLD CUP:

AUSTRALIA Darren Lockyer, Brent Kite (Tonga*)

ENGLAND Jamie Peacock, Adrian Morley, Leon Pryce, Keith Senior, Kevin Sinfield

FRANCE Jerome Guisset, Jean Christophe-Borlin, Laurent Carrasco, Julien Rinaldi

FIJI Semi Tadulala

NEW ZEALAND Nathan Cayless, David Kidwell (NZ Maori)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA John Wilshere,

Stanley Gene, Makali Aizue

SAMOA Nigel Vagana, Ali Lauitiiti, Tony Puletua, Willie Talau (all NZ*), Kylie Leuluai (NZ Maori*), Francis Meli, Frank Puletua, David Solomona, Albert Talipeau

SCOTLAND Scott Logan

TONGA Willie Manu

 

Antonio Kaufusi is not looking good with his injury so will miss the Ireland game and is in doubt for the Samoan game. With Tupou, Tuiaki &  Moimoi not in the Tongan squad it will be hard to get pass the Toa side. It will though be one of the must games to watch in the world cup. "THE ISLAND RUMBLE IN THE WILD WEST"

And if Samoa do get past Tonga and make it through to the next round with injured players. How's this for thought: 

Players who are available for Toa Samoa:

Ben Matulino (Warriors) prop

Isaak Ah Mau (Broncos) prop

Junior Paulo (Eels) prop / 2nd row

Iafeta Paleasina (Leeds Rhinos) prop - Fit to play again

Motu Tony (Hull) Hooker - Fit to play again

Sione Faumuina (Cowboys) 2nd row / stand off

Junior Sa'u (Knights) centre

Taulima Tautai (Eeels) centre / 2nd row

Patrick Ah Van (Warriors) wing

 

Plenty of depth there to cover......

 

right!!!!!!

too much info,just let it be!

samoan team looks impressive but the halves look vulnerable as vagana looks abit tired in the legs & roberts is just a basketcase.....trust me man roberts head is not in rugby league,that guys a liability.surely there's a better 7?

who played 7 in the qualifiers last year?

Shineblocker:

samoan team looks impressive but the halves look vulnerable as vagana looks abit tired in the legs & roberts is just a basketcase.....trust me man roberts head is not in rugby league,that guys a liability.surely there's a better 7?

who played 7 in the qualifiers last year?

ain't that the truth....his profile isnt in the Samoan section in the World Cup magazine..i think he's the only halfback they got

yeh he roberts had a poor on field & off the field year at the dogs & i don't see it gettin any better for him this world cup.he might not have a club to go back to after a recent off field incident where the bozo got drunk & started picking robbie farah at a kings cross nightclub.

man he's gotta go!

On paper and on the field are 2 different things.. I thought Tonga would give a better account of themselves against NZ albeit a lil un prepared.. so I'll reserve judgement on Samoa till they play..

Again they got major talent without a doubt.. but lets wait and see how that translates to the paddock against opposition like Eng/ OZ/ NZ.. Im positive theyll do some damage just how much?? We'll see

Cant wait for kickoff already!!

I'll agree with you they have an extremely experienced team but based on the form of their nrl players they wont fare that well, Taulapapa is the only player who played well for his nrl team this season, vagana couldn't even crack the bench for a horrible rabbitohs team. I'll admit I have seen none of the super league players this year. But in the halves samoa will struggle, ben roberts is as bad on the field as he is off it, he can't tackle as he's shown in the past for the kiwis and he can't kick to save himself. I really hope the island nations go well but for me its Benji to lead the kiwis to win it all

Toa Samoa has got this World Cup in the bag, there going to walk over Tonga and Irland lol

kelefua:

The problem with Tongan team is they have good players but they need to play as a team. There weakness will be their halves. Feleti Mateo is a good runner and distributor but his kicking game is not so hot.

Who's throwing all their eggs in to one basket? That game on Saturday wasn't a trial game as that was Tonga's best team available and the kiwis had rested key players. Cayless, Soliola, Hohaia, Kidwell etc.

Experience will count for a lot. Samoa has the most experienced world cup squad:

PLAYERS WHO PLAYED AT 2000 WORLD CUP:

AUSTRALIA Darren Lockyer, Brent Kite (Tonga*)

ENGLAND Jamie Peacock, Adrian Morley, Leon Pryce, Keith Senior, Kevin Sinfield

FRANCE Jerome Guisset, Jean Christophe-Borlin, Laurent Carrasco, Julien Rinaldi

FIJI Semi Tadulala

NEW ZEALAND Nathan Cayless, David Kidwell (NZ Maori)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA John Wilshere,

Stanley Gene, Makali Aizue

SAMOA Nigel Vagana, Ali Lauitiiti, Tony Puletua, Willie Talau (all NZ*), Kylie Leuluai (NZ Maori*), Francis Meli, Frank Puletua, David Solomona, Albert Talipeau

SCOTLAND Scott Logan

TONGA Willie Manu

 

Antonio Kaufusi is not looking good with his injury so will miss the Ireland game and is in doubt for the Samoan game. With Tupou, Tuiaki &  Moimoi not in the Tongan squad it will be hard to get pass the Toa side. It will though be one of the must games to watch in the world cup. "THE ISLAND RUMBLE IN THE WILD WEST"

And if Samoa do get past Tonga and make it through to the next round with injured players. How's this for thought: 

Players who are available for Toa Samoa:

Ben Matulino (Warriors) prop

Isaak Ah Mau (Broncos) prop

Junior Paulo (Eels) prop / 2nd row

Iafeta Paleasina (Leeds Rhinos) prop - Fit to play again

Motu Tony (Hull) Hooker - Fit to play again

Sione Faumuina (Cowboys) 2nd row / stand off

Junior Sa'u (Knights) centre

Taulima Tautai (Eeels) centre / 2nd row

Patrick Ah Van (Warriors) wing

 

Plenty of depth there to cover......

 

I like the passion there kelefua

but I wouldn't put too much emphasis on "Experience will count for a lot. Samoa has the most experienced world cup squad:"

Since the last RLWC, holy hell... that was eight years ago man!Toa's got the most experienced WC squad because half those dudes who played in 2000 played for NZ, and would any one in the current Samoa squad make the Kiwi's? I looked at their whole squad and couldn't find any... maybe only Ali and D Solomona could make the Kiwi squad, but struggle to make bench.

I want all the Island teams to rock man... do well and rep the south pacific big time...

I'll save my judgement on these teams until the WC starts & we can see a few games and how they played...

I'm glad Tonga played NZ, although the result was disappointing, they will be better for the hit out! Training can only do so much... ya can't simulate a real game of footy eg, match conditions, intesnsity, crowd, pressure etc...

pretty risky going in to WC with no warm ups... Oz are doing it, but they got a team full of SOO & finals footy experienced stars...

only time will tell...

Good luck Toa Samoa!

Good luck Fiji Bati!

Good luck Mate Ma'a Tonga!

Malie kau tama... fkmahino ko hai oku hau he pasifiki... oua!

Mr Lavalava:

Toa Samoa has got this World Cup in the bag, there going to walk over Tonga and Irland lol

 Mr Lavalava...hahahaha- i hope so too..that'll be a big UP YOURS to everyone else!!!