Brian Lima

Head Coach Brian Lima has assembled a squad with outstanding players from past two tournaments.

The side features Paul Scanlan, who was an exceptional player at the Los Angeles 7s.

The 27-year-old has been awarded DHL Impact Player in five out of the total of six games they played altogether.

The line-up also features the likes of Tanu Niulevaea, Paul Eti Slater, who were both also outstanding players at the Los Angeles 7s.

Samoa will be facing Fiji in its first game on Friday, 31 March, at 8.28pm (Samoa Time).

PRPW said, “Muliagatele played a record 65 tests for Samoa during his 17-year international career.
After coming up with St Joseph’s College and Marist he went to the first of five Rugby World Cups in 1991, before moving to New Zealand to play for Auckland.”

“When Super Rugby started in 1996 Muliagatele joined the Highlanders for their inaugural season, then moved to the Blues for two years before playing his final domestic campaign with the Highlanders in 1999.”

Head Coach Brian Lima has done this for the teams to play against each other twice in the first round this week.

The national trial is expected to run for two weeks.

The four teams consists of Savaii, Apolima, Manono and Upolu.

The women’s category is fielding three teams and they are Taema, Nafanua and Tilafaiga.

The final day of the first round of the trials is today before the second round that will be held on Thursday and Friday next week.

The most capped player in Manu Samoa history, Muliagatele succeeded Sir Gordon Tietjens as head coach of the Manu Sevens last month.

Muliagatele, who was an assistant when Samoa won the Paris Sevens in 2016, said his focus was on developing a squad of local players to compete on the world stage.

Samoa Rugby CEO Faleomavaega Vincent Fepuleai said the Brian’s appointment was endorsed by the Board this week and he is a key appointment for new Head Coach Damian McGrath (England).

“We are hugely excited about Brian’s appointment, and we are delighted to have him and Damian lead our Sevens programme into a new era.

“I know that Brian is excited and eager to work alongside and learn from a quality coach like Damian.

“What is clear is that we now have a coaching team that has both the energy, enthusiasm and skillset to move Samoa up the ladder on the World Series.