By Mitch Phillips
LILLE, France (Reuters) -Samoa named an all-new tight five for their Pool D fixture against England on Saturday with coach Seilala Mapusua promising his team will be “unapologetically Samoan” as they bid for their first win in the fixture
Mapusua made nine changes for game where his team will have the slimmest of quarter-final hopes and a slightly less-slim chance of finishing third in the group.
Samoa must win by 29 points or more with a bonus point against an England side who have secured top spot in the group, and hope Sunday’s match between Japan and Argentina ends in a draw without either side taking a try-scoring bonus point.
A win of any sort might also be enough for them to snatch third place to secure automatic qualification for the next World Cup.
Mapusua has opted for a new front row with props Jordan Lay and Michael Alaalatoa either side of hooker Sama Malolo, who earns a second test start. The lock pairing of Sam Slade and Brian Alainu’u’ese also come into the team.
He has kept the back row intact, however, with Bristol Bears number eight Steven Luatua packing down with Saracens flanker Theo McFarland and Fritz Lee.
Samoa have scored more maul tries (3) and gained more metres per maul (5.3) than any other side in this year’s World Cup, with their forward pack an obvious strength.
Scrumhalf Jonathan Taumateine retains his place from the 28-22 loss to Japan, but Lima Sopoaga comes in at flyhalf to replace Christian Leali’ifano who drops to the bench.
It will be the second time the halfback pair have started together after the narrow 17-13 loss to Ireland in August.
Danny Toala comes into the team alongside fellow centre Tumua Manu, and there are two new wingers in Neria Fomai and Nigel Ah-Wong with regular winger Ben Lam suspended after a red card in the 28-22 Japan defeat.
England have won all eight previous meetings with Samoa and are seeking a team record eighth World Cup pool-stage win in a row.
“It’s potentially a really crucial game for us. We have a lot on the line this week in terms of not just an opportunity against England, who we’ve never been before, but it’s also automatic qualification for World Cup 2027,” said Mapusua.
“We know that England are a quality team and they’re riding a wave of confidence at the moment. We know that if we don’t show up we’re going to get found out very quickly.”
Mapusua said he had enjoyed watching Fiji beat England at Twickenham in August but that the result had not done his team any favours.
“I suppose they were brilliantly Fijian in the game so as for us when we play against England we need to be unapologetically Samoan,” he added.
Samoa team: 1-Jordan Lay, 2-Sama Malolo, 3-Michael Alaalatoa (captain), 4-Sam Slade, 5-Brian Alainu’u’ese, 6-Theo McFarland, 7-Fritz Lee , 8-Steven Luatua, 9-Jonathan Taumateine, 10-Lima Sopoaga, 11-Neria Fomai, 12-Danny Toala, 13-Tumua Manu, 14-Nigel Ah-Wong, 15-Duncan Paia’aua.
Replacements: 16-Seilala Lam, 17-James Lay, 18-Paul Alo-Emile, 19-Sootala Fa’aso’o, 20-Alamanda Motuga, 21-Melani Matavao, 22-Christian Leali’ifano, 23-Miracle Faiilagi.
(Reporting by Nick Said/Mitch Phillips, editing by Ed Osmond)
