SAMOA DRAFT EIGHT NEWCOMERS FOR RUSSIA GAME
Samoa Coach Steve Jackson has selected eight Rugby World Cup debutants for his side’s first game of the tournament against Russia today. The New Zealander yesterday called up 10 of the starting line-up from their final warm-up game, a 15-34 defeat by Australia, for the Pool ‘A’ clash in Kumagaya, north of Tokyo. Logovii Mulipola, Motu Matuu, Captain Chris Vui, Dwayne Polataivao, and Ah See Tuala are those who come in for the Pacific islanders, who reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 1991 and 1995.
“The players that have been selected deserve their selection,” said Jackson.
“Some players really put their hands up and that was what it was all about really. We want to keep consistency within the group and especially the starting fifteen and I think we’ve done that.”
Meanwhile, Jackson’s opposite number Lyn Jones has named an unchanged side to the one beaten 10-30 by hosts Japan in the tournament curtain raiser last Friday with fly half Yury Kushnarev poised to win a record-extending 111th cap.
“Everybody deserves an opportunity against Samoa,” said the Welshman, hoping to lead Russia to a first World Cup victory in their second appearance in the tournament.
“Samoa will be different in attack and defence than Japan. They are a very dangerous team. We will have to be at our best to get a positive result.”
Kushnarev, one of Russia’s standout players against the Japanese, starts alongside Captain Vasily Artemyev as the Bears look to bounce back against the hard-hitting Samoans.
Artemyev, who has scored a record 29 Test tries for his country, will demand greater support from his teammates against Samoa particularly in defence after the Russians ran out of steam against the Brave Blossoms. Meanwhile, at 37, mercurial fly half Tusi Pisi is set to become the oldest player to represent Samoa at the World Cup in a country he knows well after spells in Japan, notably with the Tokyo-based Sunwolves in Super Rugby.
Tim Nanai-williams, cousin of All Blacks superstar Sonny Bill, plays full back for the Samoans, who are ranked four places higher than Russia at 16 and will expect to get off to a winning start, though neither side is given any serious chance of advancing from a group also containing Ireland and Scotland.