Samoa v New Zealand, 8 July

George Carlin wrote:
 
* Census Johnson came out of international retirement for this game only.

Notch wrote:What time is it on UK time? Hopefully get to see it.

Notch wrote:Yeah, I'm not going to see it.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen hands starting debut to George Moala for Samoa Test

Robert Lowe & Daniel Gilhooly, AAP
July 06, 20153:34PM

THE All Blacks’ build-up to their historic encounter with Samoa in Apia will have a festival atmosphere, including a public parade the day before.

But it will be all seriousness when New Zealand take the field on Wednesday for their first official Test in the Pacific islands.

“If we don’t take them seriously, we’ll get one right between the eyes,” coach Steve Hansen said before the team’s departure from Auckland on Monday.

“They’re a good side. You look at the players they’ve got.

“They’re performing well in the UK, a lot of them, and those that aren’t in the UK have been performing well here.”

The All Blacks have faced Samoa five times for five comfortable wins, all in New Zealand.

Hansen said the venue made the upcoming clash totally different.

“You’ve got a whole nation that are going to be lining the streets,” he said.

“From what I’ve read, already the place is going off and that emotion can really lift a player. We have to meet that emotional charge and make sure we’re ready.”

With the players from the Highlanders and Hurricanes ruled out because of their involvement in the Super Rugby final, Hansen has named four debutants in the match-day 23.

There is one starter in wing George Moala and three on the bench in midfielder Charlie Ngatai, halfback Brad Weber and prop Nepo Laulala.

But there is also plenty of experience in a side, especially in the forwards, where there are almost 650 caps among the starting eight.

The selection also features recalls for hooker Hika Elliot and halfback Andy Ellis, the former getting a spot on the bench to cap his remarkable comeback from a career-threatening neck injury.

Ellis, who benefits from the unavailability of the three halfbacks named in the original 41-man squad, is in the starting 15.

The 31-year-old has played 26 Tests, but none since the 2011 World Cup.

His last act in an All Blacks jersey was to kick the ball out at the end of the final to conclude New Zealand’s victory over France.

Hansen said it had been interesting watching Ellis’ return to the All Blacks environment, including his quips to journalists during a media opportunity.

“A lot of things have changed since he was last here and there’s a lot of nerves which he’s probably fudging with a lot of funny stuff,” Hansen said.

“That’s the effect the jersey can have on you sometimes because it’s a wonderful place if you can stay here, but it’s a daunting place if you think you’re on the edge of it.”

Hansen said that highlighted a balancing act before the World Cup squad was named.

“During these next five Test matches, one of our balancing acts as a management is to make sure those guys feel comfortable and can just be themselves and exhibit their skills, so we can make good judgments when we pick the 31 to go to the World Cup.”

Meanwhile, Samoan players will make it a priority to stay calm in the white-hot atmosphere of Wednesday’s historic Test against the All Blacks.

A mature team was deliberately named on Monday by coach Stephen Betham for the clash in Apia, the first time the All Blacks have played a Test in the Pacific islands.

Chiefs fullback Tim Nanai-Williams will make his Test debut and the only other uncapped player is Faialaga Afamasaga as backline reserve cover.

Afamasaga is the only Samoan-based player in a team mostly comprising European-based professionals.

Betham said a player leadership group created for the Test had stressed the need to not get carried away, especially early on when Apia Park is expected to be a sea of noise.

“They spoke about controlling the aggression. Because if we don’t control that aggression, the game can fly off the handle,” Betham said.

“Pressure is already there this week and the boys know that it will be even more when we go on the park but it’s something that we’ve sat down and talked about.”
The only players not based in Europe are Nanai-Williams, South African-domiciled centre Paul Perez, veteran Japanese club five-eighth Tusi Pisi and 22-year-old reserve halfback Pele Cowley, who plays club rugby for Pukekohe.

London Irish No 8 Ofisa Treviranus is captain and one of eight starting players to have notched more than 20 caps — a lot for Samoa, who average three-four Tests a year.

The most experienced player is 50-Test Toulouse prop Census Johnston, who announced his retirement earlier this year but has agreed to return for their World Cup campaign.

Betham says the midfield was difficult to select because of the unavailability of previous servants George Pisi, Alapati Leiua and Rey Lee-Lo.

Perez plays on the wing for the Natal Sharks but fills a gap at centre, where he used to play for Taranaki.

There was a fierce battle for loose forward spots. World Cup stand-out Maurie Faasavalu is on the bench, usurped by Treviranus, former Hurricane Jack Lam and surprise blindside flanker choice Alafoti Faosiliva, who plays for English club Bath.

The greatest moments in Samoan rugby

By Chris Rattue
5:20 PM Tuesday Jul 7, 2015

Samoan rugby supporters have endured an up and down ride for many years as they battled the game's heavyweights and issues such as getting players released from professional clubs. Scorelines have wavered between the sublime and the ridiculous.

We look at four of their greatest days as they attempt to take the biggest scalp of all - the All Blacks.

Samoa 16, Wales 13. Cardiff, 1991 (World Cup)
Samoa's breakout performance. If they don't beat the All Blacks, this will remain the most glorious day in their rugby history, coming four years after they were outrageously snubbed having not been invited to the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand.

The renowned British sportswriter Frank Keating described it thus: "In its long history the Arms Park cannot have witnessed such a sustained and devastating display of tackling. Time and again ball-carrying Welshmen at full pelt were clobbered amidships and thundered back a yard or more."

This was a signal that rugby's old order was under threat, the first time a seeded team had been tipped over by a so called outsider.

As to the magnitude of the upset, fair to say that rugby aficionados on this side of the world were better acquainted with what Samoa were capable of. Not that they got their dues here.

After the game, the late Peter Fatialofa - the Samoan captain - said: "Very few rugby-playing countries have visited us in our history. Hopefully, after today's result, many more teams will come to play us." Welsh supporters were heard to joke "luckily we didn't play all of Samoa" - reference to the team's name of Western Samoa at the time.

Samoa 34, Wales 9. Moamoa, 1994
With Apia Park damaged by cyclones, the game was played at nearby Moamoa where a strong Welsh side was obliterated by the Peter Fatialofa-led Samoans, with the feared hitman Brian Lima scoring twice. Wales were limited to three Neil Jenkins penalties. A Samoan family named their newborn baby Wales Manu Samoa 9-34 Moamoa Gale in honour of the achievement. The kid apparently loved his name to the point that he grew up supporting Wales.

Samoa 38, Wales 31. Cardiff, 1999 (World Cup)
Oh no, not again. More Welsh angst and a third consecutive loss to Samoa. Coached by Graham Henry, Wales were on a glorious winning run that included the scalps of South Africa, England and France. But despite a dominant scrum, they were brought crashing down by a Manu Samoa team which had played the powerful Argentinians just four days earlier. Fullback Silao Leaega scored 18 points. In an era of different eligibility rules, Samoa included All Blacks Pat Lam, Va'aiga Tuigamala and Stephen Bachop. Snap for Wales, who had Shane Howarth at fullback which only led to further embarrassment for the team in red. Howarth and fellow Kiwi Brett Sinkinson were later ruled to have been ineligible to play for Wales in the first place. With the Samoan team having dropped Western from their name, at least Welsh supporters could jest they had lost to all of Samoa this time.

Samoa 32, Australia 23. Sydney, 2011
Aussie wing Rod Davies, making his test debut, might still be feeling the bruises inflicted by his giant opposite Alesani Tuilagi. He wasn't the only one obliterated by the hard hitting Samoans. The Robbie Deans-coached Wallabies were stunned, as were most in the 30,000 crowd. The Samoan players celebrated with a stirring Manu Siva Tau after the game and Davies gave credit to Tuilagi saying "the only way is up from here". He has never played for the Wallabies again.

George Carlin wrote:Can any one of our SANZAR brethren/sistern tell us whether anyone in NZ gives much of a poop about this game?
The silence on this thread has been somewhat deafening.

yappysnap wrote:Can't see anything but a humping for Samoa here, which is a shame

George Carlin wrote:Nice piece in the Herald about previous Samoan upsets.

Welsh fans should probably not read this: