Samoa end 'year of learning' as Sevens champs

Story and photo: www.irb.com

This time last year, Samoa's rugby players recorded the country's finest sporting achievement by winning the 2009/10 IRB Sevens World Series.

Emulating that incredible feat was never going to be easy and coach Stephen Betham said as much at the start of the season. In the end his words proved quite prophetic.

"It has been tough, a real up and down year. It's a big test right from the start when you're number one with every team you face wanting to knock you over," Betham said in the run-up to this weekend's final acts of the HSBC Sevens World Series at Murrayfield.

From the word go this season, teams came at the Samoans from all sides like wolf packs - and how brilliantly they responded. First up in Dubai they reached the Cup final, where they lost against England, and therefter they have produced Sevens of a consistently high standard.

Currently they sit fourth in the standings and could quite plausibly still finish second with a good showing this weekend at the Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens.

"It's not only the players who have learnt a lot but also the management and we're using this year as a learning curve for us, looking ahead to the next Sevens World Cup and perhaps also to the Olympics.

"We've learnt quite a bit, it's not an easy game anymore as all the teams proved last weekend. Portugal, Russia, everyone on their day can make anything happen in Sevens."

Once again the forwards have been outstanding for Betham, arguably the best pack in the Series. Ofisa Treviranus and Alafoti Fa'osiliva have matched their form of last season, quite immense in the ball-winning department and adding tries aplenty, ably assisted by Fautua Otto and Simaika Mikaele.

Betham: "Credit to the big boys"

But where they sparkled in the backs throughout last season, this time they have reached those heights only occasionally. Tom Iosefo has announced himself as a new find, but Uale Mai and Lolo Lui have performed only in fits and starts and Mikaele Pesamino has been a shadow of his former self, clearly struggling for fitness and confidence.

"It's been tough. Unfortunately Mikaele (Pesamino) fell out of form with a niggling injury that he's still carrying, so we had to revert and change a bit in our tactics and plans, but credit to the big boys because they can get up and score tries too," said Betham, who has already taken the opportunity in these last two tournaments to give new, younger players a taste of the action.

So what will the coach and his players take most away from this season, during which they have been the 'reigning World Series champions'?

"It was very important for us last year to win. The team are all local-based players and the country really got behind us and supported them all the way, and it just went to show that we can produce World champions from back home on the islands."

So no national holiday this year for Samoa, but plenty of pride still and a burning desire to finish well - and perhaps even nick that second place in the HSBC Sevens World Series.

"We thought that after last week there wouldn't be much pressure on this tournament, but now there are four teams vying for that second and third spot and it's all up for grabs.

"It's going to be a great weekend. We start with Scotland, USA and Fiji and we'll hopefully get out there and enjoy ourselves."