Afamasaga ready to return for Samoa at Hamilton 7s

Samoa 7s forward and last year’s captain, David Afamasaga is expected to make his return at this week’s Hamilton 7s.

The 25 year old has not put on the blue jersey due to injury since the Paris Sevens in June 2019, and he missed the Pacific Games and crucial Oceania Sevens Olympic qualifier.

Afamasaga also missed the opening two legs of the 2019/20 World Rugby Sevens Series, where Samoa slipped from a fourth-place finish in Dubai to 13th place in Cape Town.

But he is now fit and should be available for selection at the Hamilton Sevens on Saturday.

Also expected to make his return in the upcoming tournament is playmaker, Melani Matavao.

He was also absent for the Oceania Sevens in November as well as Dubai and Cape Town tournaments after he injured himself at the 2019 Rugby World Cup playing halfback for Manu Samoa.

A previous injury that kept Matavao out of the Paris 7s and Pacific Games means the 24-year-old has not played 7s for Samoa since last May, but he too is now fit for Hamilton.

The Manu are currently seventh in the World Rugby Sevens Series rankings.

The Gordon Tietjens-coached side will play their opening match in Hamilton against Fiji, which is sitting sixth on the ladder, just one spot ahead of the Samoans.

They join Argentina and Australia in Pool D with the eventual winners going straight to semi-finals.