DUBAI // Of all the sides who are in contention for the Emirates International Trophy, few have a lower profile than Samoa. It might have escaped the attention of the wider public, but they are actually the defending champions in Dubai.
If they were not wearing team-branded gear, the Samoan players could happily wander through The Sevens complex on Thursday unnoticed if they wanted to.
All of which is a world away from back home. The national rugby players are the pride of the Pacific island nation.
Title wins are celebrated like winning the Expo. Lose, though, and it would be preferential to stay anonymous, according to Viliamu Punivalu, the Samoa coach.
“If you win, you go back to Samoa and there are a lot of people waiting to celebrate with you,” Punivalu said. “If you don’t win you have to hide and we should probably wear masks.
“It is the national sport. Everybody loves rugby and it is probably the only sport in Samoa that bonds everybody together.
“We are a very proud rugby nation, given that we have a small population of rugby players to pick from. We don’t have the luxury like New Zealand where they can bring 150 players into camp.”
The current Samoa squad differs markedly from that which beat New Zealand in the final here last year, including the coaching staff.
Punivalu is in charge for his second tournament, having been handed the job in the summer after serving as skills coach for the Samoa A team.
His team have trained in typical anonymity at the Victoria International School in Sharjah this week — other than when they have been teaching the children the Sipi Tau war dance.
As a gem not greatly known about beyond the city, but with a grass playing field in view of the shoreline, the school has fitted with Samoa neatly. It probably felt a little like home.
As ever, the Samoans are unlikely to be touted too loudly as potential winners this weekend — not least by themselves — but that suits them.
“Winning last year was a great achievement for us,” said Reupena Leavasa, their captain.
“We have been to semis and finals and we were playing a New Zealand team who are very consistent.
“It was a great step for us last year and now we have come back this year to defend our title as champions.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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