Pacific Nations Cup General
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Samoa v Fiji in Rotorua.
Pacific Nations Cup 2025 set to deliver high-stakes action with direct qualification path to Menโs Rugby World Cup 2027 | World Rugby
World Rugby has officially announced the full schedule for the Pacific Nations Cup 2025 (22 August - 20 September), the second edition of the revitalised and expanded competition that is fast becoming a pillar of the international rugby calendar.
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Awful squad. Even worse than last year's. What is that, 11 players who feature in premier club competitions?
I understand the sentimental reasons for wanting to boost the islands (thinking Samoa and Tonga here, to be specific) as much as possible, play games there, give them matches against top opposition, but I think we're now at a point where they basically have to be cut loose for the growth of the game. If they can't even get their best players together for RWC qualifying matches then what's the point? I would much rather see money invested into the developing South American, European and even Asian sides.
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A Seiuli
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L Tolai
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M Alaalatoa
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S Slade
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B Nee Nee
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T McFarland
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J Mau'u
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I Mapu
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M Matavao
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J Umaga
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M Nanai
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D Paia'aua
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H Taefu
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T Alosio
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D Leuila
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L Schwenke
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T Lamositele
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M Fepuleai
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T Seu
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N Jones
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J Lam
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A Moleli
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T Tuitama
Maybe swap Nee Nee out with Seu, Maybe Noa for Jones.
I'm sure more guys will be added when injuries hit.
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More info:
๐๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐:
- Miracle FAIILAGI
- Jonathan TAUMATEINE
- Danny TOALA
- Lalomilo LALOMILO
- Ereatara ENARI
๐๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ:
- Sama MALOLO
- Alamanda MOTUGA
- Tumua MANU
- Ulupano Junior SEUTENI
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@Bovidae said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
More info:
๐๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐:
- Miracle FAIILAGI
- Jonathan TAUMATEINE
- Danny TOALA
- Lalomilo LALOMILO
- Ereatara ENARI
๐๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ:
- Sama MALOLO
- Alamanda MOTUGA
- Tumua MANU
- Ulupano Junior SEUTENI
That's fine, can build some depth inbetween now and the RWC.
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@ARHS said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
Just Alaalatoa McFarland and Paiaaua as lock-ins at this level.
Very disappointing squad indeed. But I note they got Lamositele to swap over to them.Don't think it's that disappointing. You're never gonna get the best squads inbetween world cups, so these are the times to expand your talent pool for the Island sides.
Good opportunity for some of the newer players to stake their claim.
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@African-Monkey said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
@ARHS said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
Just Alaalatoa McFarland and Paiaaua as lock-ins at this level.
Very disappointing squad indeed. But I note they got Lamositele to swap over to them.Don't think it's that disappointing. You're never gonna get the best squads inbetween world cups, so these are the times to expand your talent pool for the Island sides.
Good opportunity for some of the newer players to stake their claim.
The World Cup only happens once every four years. I understand the difficulties facing Samoa and Tonga but if you're only assembling a proper squad every four years then something is going terrible wrong.
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@Mr-Fish said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
@African-Monkey said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
@ARHS said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
Just Alaalatoa McFarland and Paiaaua as lock-ins at this level.
Very disappointing squad indeed. But I note they got Lamositele to swap over to them.Don't think it's that disappointing. You're never gonna get the best squads inbetween world cups, so these are the times to expand your talent pool for the Island sides.
Good opportunity for some of the newer players to stake their claim.
The World Cup only happens once every four years. I understand the difficulties facing Samoa and Tonga but if you're only assembling a proper squad every four years then something is going terrible wrong.
Not really. Not overly phased that a bunch of 35+ year old ex ABs players aren't in the side.
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@African-Monkey Charlie Faumuina is the only player at the 2023 World Cup that fits into that category so not really sure what your argument is?
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@Mr-Fish said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
@African-Monkey Charlie Faumuina is the only player at the 2023 World Cup that fits into that category so not really sure what your argument is?
Christian Leali'ifano? And guys like Luatua, Sopoaga, Taufua, To'omaga-Allen etc. Who are older Aren't really guys we need to see in this current squad.
Just because you haven't heard of some of the guys doesn't make it a waste of time.
Edit: Yeah sorry, Leali'ifano is a Wallaby but point still stands.
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There are a massive number of guys who are in the primes of their careers who haven't been named in the squad - I'm not talking about your Luatuas and Sopoagas. You're being incredibly disingenuous by implying that it's only over-the-hill/experienced players that have been omitted. The likes of Miracle Fai'alagi and Lalomilo Lalomilo (amongst a long list of others) would be massive additions to the team but are still fairly fresh to Test level and aren't suddenly going to be able to compete with the best of the best when the World Cup rolls around if they haven't cut their teeth in series like these.
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Joel Lam has been playing Rugby League in Australia this season so itโs very interesting to see him selected. Shows there is a lack of depth in key positions
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@African-Monkey said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
@ARHS said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
Just Alaalatoa McFarland and Paiaaua as lock-ins at this level.
Very disappointing squad indeed. But I note they got Lamositele to swap over to them.Don't think it's that disappointing. You're never gonna get the best squads inbetween world cups, so these are the times to expand your talent pool for the Island sides.
Good opportunity for some of the newer players to stake their claim.
Think you are missing the point completely. Lots of younger and stronger players just don't seem interested. Count the MP players in there. Would have thought Failagi, Alainuese, Taumateine, Toala, Patafilo, S Lam for starters.
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@ARHS said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
@African-Monkey said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
@ARHS said in Pacific Nations Cup General:
Just Alaalatoa McFarland and Paiaaua as lock-ins at this level.
Very disappointing squad indeed. But I note they got Lamositele to swap over to them.Don't think it's that disappointing. You're never gonna get the best squads inbetween world cups, so these are the times to expand your talent pool for the Island sides.
Good opportunity for some of the newer players to stake their claim.
Think you are missing the point completely. Lots of younger and stronger players just don't seem interested. Count the MP players in there. Would have thought Failagi, Alainuese, Taumateine, Toala, Patafilo, S Lam for starters.
Yeah, fair, the NPC players could have been there, but they're not, so bring some new faces in and who knows, maybe we'll be talking more about those new faces in a years time to go with the guys mentioned, and they could also push for professinal contracts. It's not that big a deal.
