A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
 | |||
| Nickname(s) | Manu Samoa | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Emblem | Southern cross | ||
| Union | Rugby Samoa | ||
| Head coach | Mahonri Schwalger | ||
| Captain | Michael Ala'alatoa | ||
| Most caps | Brian Lima (67) | ||
| Top scorer | Tusi Pisi (245) | ||
| Top try scorer | Brian Lima (29) | ||
| Home stadium | Apia Park | ||
| |||
| World Rugby ranking | |||
| Current | 12 (as of 28 August 2023) | ||
| Highest | 7 (2012, 2013) | ||
| Lowest | 17 (2018, 2019) | ||
| First international | |||
 Western Samoa 0–6 Fiji  (Apia, Samoa; 18 August 1924) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
 Samoa 115–7 Papua New Guinea  (Apia, Samoa; 11 July 2009) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 New Zealand 101–14 Samoa (New Plymouth, New Zealand; 3 September 2008) | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 9 (First in 1991) | ||
| Best result | Quarterfinals (1991, 1995) | ||
Medal record | |||
| Website | manusamoa.com | ||
The Samoa national rugby union team represents the Samoa Rugby Union in men's international rugby union. They are also known as "Manu Samoa", which is thought to derive from the name of a Samoan warrior.[1] They perform a traditional Samoan challenge called the siva tau before each game. Samoa Rugby Union were formerly members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) along with Fiji and Tonga.[2] They are ranked 11th in the world.[3]
Rugby was introduced to Samoa in the early 1920s and a governing body was soon formed. The first international was played as Western Samoa against Fiji in August 1924. Along with Tonga, these nations would meet regularly and eventually contest competitions such as the Pacific Tri-Nations – with Western Samoa winning the first of these. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was known as Western Samoa.
Samoa have been to every Rugby World Cup since the 1991 tournament. That tournament, along with the 1995 competition, saw them make the quarterfinals. Under their new coach, former New Zealand and Samoan international player Michael Jones, Samoa competed in the 2007 Rugby World Cup. However, Samoa had a dismal World Cup campaign, winning only one match and finishing fourth in their group. Samoa showed an improved performance at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, winning two matches by comfortable margins, and losing close matches to South Africa and Wales.
History
The Marist Brothers brought rugby to Western Samoa in 1924 and The Western Samoa Rugby Football Union was formed in 1924. On 18 August 1924, Western Samoa played its first international against Fiji in the capital Apia, the visitors winning 6–0. The match was played at 7 am to allow the Samoans time to get to work afterwards and was played on a pitch with a large tree on the halfway line. The return match was won 9–3 by Samoa to draw the series.
In 1954 Western Samoa visited both Pacific Island neighbors Fiji and Tonga, but had to wait a further 20 years before a tour of New Zealand took place. The Samoans won one of eight matches on that tour.
The traditional tri-series between Tonga, Fiji and Western Samoa was established in 1982 with Western Samoa winning the first tournament. Wales visited Western Samoa and won the test 32–16 at Apia. The tour led to a return visit to Wales which brought Western Samoa out of International limbo, although Western Samoa were not invited to the first Rugby World Cup in 1987.
The following year a 14-match tour of Europe took place before a World Cup elimination series in Tokyo, which gave Western Samoa a place in the 1991 Rugby World Cup in Britain. They made a huge impact. After sweeping aside Wales 16–13 in Cardiff and defeating Argentina 35–12, and narrowly losing 3–9 to eventual champions Australia in their pool match, Western Samoa, a country with a population of 160,000, found itself in the quarterfinals against Scotland at Murrayfield. The Scots won comfortably 28–6, but the Samoans were clearly the personality team of the tournament. One Welsh fan ruefully remarked after Wales's defeat, "It's a good job we weren't playing all of Samoa."
Over the next two years, the side had a number of notable wins. The most outstanding achievements were in Sevens where it won the 1993 Hong Kong and 1992 Middlesex Sevens. The 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa proved that the team belonged in top company. They again reached the quarterfinals after wins over Argentina and Italy, but were beaten 42–14 by the eventual winners South Africa. After the Cup, Manu Samoa made a 13-match tour of England and Scotland, drawing 15–15 with the Scots and going down 27–9 to England.
With the advent of professional rugby in 1995 it was vital for Manu Samoa to develop a new administrative structure. This was made possible with Fay Richwhite and the Western Samoan Rugby Union joining forces to form Manu Samoa Rugby Limited. Fay Richwhite invested $5 million from 1995 to 2004 into Samoan rugby.[4][5]
Samoa emerged from the 1999 World Cup with its honor intact after another shock 38–31 victory over host nation Wales in the pool stages. They again lost out to Scotland in the quarterfinal play-off.
Manu Samoa qualified for the 2003 World Cup with a 17–16 loss against Fiji, Earl Va'a missing an injury-time penalty. They recovered to beat Tonga both home and away and avenged that Fijian defeat with a 22–12 win in Nadi. They ultimately had to settle for second place in the round robin, behind Fiji on points difference, and a place in the tougher of the two Rugby World Cup 2003 pools alongside automatic qualifiers England and South Africa. In one of the games of the tournament, they led eventual champions England for most of the game before losing 35–22.
Samoa qualified for the 2011 World Cup after beating Papua New Guinea 73–12 in Port Moresby on 18 July 2009. They won 188–19 on aggregate over two matches against Papua New Guinea, having won 115–7 at Apia Park the previous week.[6]
Samoa began their 2011 World Cup campaign preparation with a flying start, after registering an upset against No.2 ranked Australia with a four-try-to-two win of 32–23.[7]
Financial problems
In November 2017, Samoa's prime minister and SRU chairman Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi announced that the organisation was bankrupt,[8] although those claims were denied by world governing body World Rugby.[9]
Wins against Tier 1 nations
Samoa have recorded 15 wins against tier 1 nations. In addition, Samoa drew with Scotland 15-15 on the 18 November 1995 at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland.
| 6 October 1991 | Wales 
|
13–16 | Samoa
|
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
|
|
| Try: I Evans Emyr Con: Ring Pen: Ring |
Report | Try: Vaega Vaifale Con: Vaea Pen: Vaea (2) |
Attendance: 45,000 Referee:  Patrick Robin (France)
|
| 13 October 1991 | Argentina 
|
12–35 | Samoa
|
Sardis Road, Pontypridd
|
|
| Try: Teran Nougues Con: Arbizu Pen: Arbizu Laborde |
Report | Try: Bachop Bunce Lima (2) Tagaloa (2) Con: Vaea (4) Pen: Vaea |
Attendance: 8,500 |
| 25 June 1994 | Samoa
|
34–9 | Wales
|
Moamoa
|
|
| Try: Lam Lima (2) Con: Kellett (2) Pen: Kellett (5) |
Report | Pen: N Jenkins (3) |
Referee:  Barry Leask (Australia)
|
| 27 May 1995 | Italy 
|
18–42 | Samoa
|
 ABSA Stadium, East London
|
|
| Try: Cuttitta Vaccari Con: Domínguez Pen: Domínguez Drop: Domínguez |
Report | Try: Harder (2) Kellett Lima (2) Tatupu Con: Kellett (3) Pen: Kellett (2) |
Attendance: 12,000 Referee: Joel Dume (France)
|
| 30 May 1995 | Argentina
|
26–32 | Samoa
|
ABSA Stadium, East London
|
|
| Try: Crexell Penalty Try Con: Cilley (2) Pen: Cilley (4) |
Report | Try: Harder Lam Leaupepe Con: Kellett Pen: Kellett (5) |
Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Dave Bishop (New Zealand)
|
| 12 November 1996 | Ireland 
|
25–40 | Samoa
|
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
|
|
| Try: Wallace Con: Mason Pen: Mason (6) |
Report | Try: Leaupepe Patu So'oalo Vaega (2) Con: Va'a (3) Pen: Va'a (3) |
Referee: Santiago Borsani (Argentina)
|
| 14 October 1999 | Wales
|
31–38 | Samoa
|
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
|
|
| Try: Thomas Penalty Try (2) Con: N Jenkins (2) Pen: N Jenkins (4) |
Report | Try: Bachop (2) Falaniko Lam Leaega Con: Leaega (5) Pen: Leaega |
Attendance: 72,500 Referee:  Ed Morrison (England)
|
| 8 July 2000 | Samoa
|
43–24 | Italy
|
Apia Park, Apia
|
|
| Try: Lima Samania So'oalo Vaega Vili Con: Samania (3) Pen: Samania (4) |
Report | Try: Checchinato Moscardi Stoica Con: Pez (3) Drop: Pez |
Attendance: 7,500 Referee: Tappe Henning (South Africa)
|
| 24 November 2001 | Italy
|
9–17 | Samoa
|
Stadio Tommaso Fattori, L'Aquila
|
|
| Pen: Domínguez (3) |
Report | Try: Fa'atau Pen: Leaega (2) Vili (2) |
Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Robert G. Davies (Wales)
|
| 3 December 2005 | Argentina
|
12–28 | Samoa
|
Buenos Aires
|
|
| Try: Agulla Fernández Lobbe Con: Fernández Miranda |
Report | Try: Johnston Sititi Tagicakibau Con: Warren (2) Pen: Warren (2) Drop: Warren |
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
|
| 17 July 2011 | Australia
|
23–32 | Samoa
|
Stadium Australia, Sydney
|
|
| Try: Ioane 37' Giteau 70' Con: Giteau (38', 71') Pen: Giteau (40', 41', 57') |
Report | Try: Tuilagi 11' Williams 28' Thompson 45' G Pisi 54' Con: T Pisi (13', 29', 55') Pen: T Pisi (3', 65') |
Attendance: 29,908 Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
|
| 16 November 2012 | Wales
|
19–26 | Samoa
|
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
|
|
| Try: Beck 32' Con: Halfpenny (1/1) 33' Pen: Halfpenny (4/5) 15', 28', 49', 61' |
Report | Try: Autagavaia 1' c G Pisi 46' m Leota 77' m Con: T Pisi (1/3) 2' Pen: T Pisi (3/6) 40', 56', 65' |
Attendance: 44,329 Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)
|
| 8 June 2013 | Samoa
|
27–17 |  Scotland
|
Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
|
|
| Try: So'oialo 6' c Tuilagi (2) 11' c, 62' c Con: So'oialo (3/3) 8', 13', 64' Pen: So'oialo (2/3) 53', 69' |
Try: Lamont 49' m Pen: Laidlaw (4/5) 10', 18', 31', 41' |
Attendance: 9,753 Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
|
| 15 June 2013 | Samoa
|
39–10 | Italy
|
Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
|
|
| Try: Williams 20' c Leiua 41' m Leota 53' c Tuifu'a 63' c Va'aulu 72' c Con: Williams (3/4) 21', 53', 64' Anufe (1/1) 73' Pen: Williams (2/3) 30', 51' |
Try: Penalty try 70' c Con: di Bernardo (1/1) 70' Pen: Orquera (1/3) 27' |
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
|
| 14 June 2014 | Samoa
|
15–0 | Italy
|
Apia Park, Apia
|
|
| 14:00 WST (UTC+13) | Pen: T. Pisi (5/7) 10', 24', 30', 47', 69' |
Report (In Italian) |
Attendance: 7,000 Referee: George Clancy (Ireland) |
