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MANU SINA
FOCUS ON WORLD CUP AFTER ENGLAND LOSS |
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By Tuifa’asisina Peter Rees |
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More games and
longer preparation time was the verdict after Samoa’s national women’s
rugby team, Manusina, succumbed 53-0 to a better prepared England side,
at Auckland’s Ericsson Stadium on 15 October.
Manusina coach Lafaele Lupo was not hiding behind excuses when speaking
to Event Polynesia directly after the match. Obviously disappointed
with the eight tries to nil drubbing, Lupo took the result on the chin
with the team taking its official step towards the World Cup next year.
“We were only together for a week and needed more time together,” said
Lupo. "If we are to be competitive at the World Cup we need more games
and funding.”
The Wellington based coach was confident Manusina could be a force in
Canada next year if it gets the full support of the Samoa Rugby Union (SRU).
While England, the second ranked side in the world, gets regular games
in the Six Nations tournament playing neighbours Ireland, Wales,
Scotland and France, the last time the Manusina played an official
international was last year when it beat Tonga. The disparities in
resources and money between England and Samoa could not have been
illustrated any clearer.
“Many of us are volunteers and have to fork out of our own pockets,”
said Lupo.
Manusina management are currently working with the SRU on getting
further warm up games for the World Cup. Several invitations have been
received already from overseas unions with an upcoming tournament in
the United States, perhaps the next move for Manusina.
The 2006 IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup will be held in Edmonton, Canada
from 31 August – 17 September. On 13 October, just days before the
match against England, Samoa was confirmed as the 12th and final team
for next year’s tournament. Samoa will be sole representative of the
Pacific Islands apart from the world champion New Zealand Black ferns,
and Australia.
It was a nervous wait for the SRU as it had to await the outcome of
deliberations by the International Rugby Board (IRB) on the merits of
not only Samoa, but also Wales, Italy, Japan and Brazil for the final
spot.
Event Polynesia also understands Fiji wished to have a playoff with
Samoa because it was forced to miss last year’s FORU |
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Manu Sina Rugby management and team before playing England at
Ericsson Stadium. Auckland, New Zealand.
(Photo: Stella Tanoi-Tagi)
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Manusina in action against England on Saturday with England
seeded 2nd behind World Champion New Zealand winning 53 – 0.
Manusina is ranked 12th place for the World Cup 2006.
(Photo: Tuifa’asisina Peter Rees)
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Manusina team and management after game against England on
Saturday, with England winning 53 – 0. Manusina is ranked 12th
place for the World Cup 2006.
(Photo: CTuifa’asisina Peter Rees) |
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Women’s tri-series with
Samoa and Tonga.
But in the end, Samoa won the nod based mainly on past results and
the strength of the game locally in Samoa and depth of players based
primarily in New Zealand playing in the annual NPC.
An IRB statement announcing Samoa as the final confirmed team for
the World Cup read: “Samoa have shown rapid improvement in women's
rugby over a short period of time, with many of their players
competing in arguably the toughest domestic set-up in the women's
game, in neighbouring New Zealand.”
Manusina could also justify its place based on their performance at
the last World Cup in 2002. Samoa made its World Cup debut in Spain
finishing 9th, and in the process beating countries such as Wales,
the union which lodged a formal protest to the IRB over its
selection of Samoa for the final World Cup berth.
Lupo was then the assistant coach of Manusina’s inaugural World Cup
squad. He has accumulated that experience and inside knowledge of
the players to put together the blue print which will hopefully help
Samoa improve its world ranking in about ten months time.
“That’s the aim to improve our ranking from three years ago,” added
Lupo.
The IRB has announced the World Cup draw which sees Manusina
together with Canada and Scotland in Pool D. Under the cross-pool
league format, Manusina gets a tough draw and will play three games
against opposing teams in Pool A. Manusina will play Kazakhstan
first on 31 August followed by a date with number one seeds New
Zealand on 4 September. Manusina then plays Spain on 8 September.
Manusina will then be redrawn for seeding games 12, 16 and 17
September depending on results.
The official seeding of the 12 teams to compete in the 2006 World
Cup are: (1) New Zealand (Champions, 2002 WRWC); (2) England
(Runners-Up, 2002 WRWC); (3) France (Third, 2002 WRWC); (4) Canada
(Fourth, 2002 WRWC); (5) Scotland; (6) United States; (7) Australia;
(8) Spain; (9) Kazakhstan; (10) Ireland; (11) South Africa; (12)
Samoa
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Copyright Event Polynesia Ltd.
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