Sevens: Lauano brothers in hot demand

Sami Lauano (left) chats with Brothers co-coaches Asa Ene and Pouvi Fatialofa last night. Photo/Paul Taylor

Could there be a war for the services of Napier Old Boys Marist's Lauano brothers during the sevens season?

This question had to be asked when Brothers Rugby and Sports Club co-coach and manager Asa Ene announced his squad for the summer and it contained all three Lauano brothers - Migao, Sami and Johnny.

All three helped their Napier Old Boys Marist club win the recent Bali 10s tournament and were expected to turn out for NOBM again when they attempt to retain their title at their club's Invitation Sevens tournament in Napier on November 18.

"I'm sure we will get all three but if not definitely two ... Craig will be all good with that," Ene said, referring to NOBM head coach Craig Gowler who he was an assistant coach for when NOBM dominated Hawke's Bay's premier winter club competitions.

Brothers begin their season with Saturday's prestigious Auckland Samoan Sevens tournament in Mangere.

On November 11 they will tackle the Poverty Bay Sevens in Gisborne before the NOBM tournament and Ene said there will be a couple more outings in January before they play in the February 16 and 17 Vailima Marist International Sevens tournament in Samoa.

"I travelled to Samoa in June to register our team in that tournament. It's a huge event with a lot of international teams from all over the world regulars at it. Getting a spot in that event has been five years in the making," Ene, who also tasted Maddison Trophy glory with Napier Technical as a player in 2013, explained.

In addition to playing in the tournament Brothers will conduct coaching clinics at schools in Samoa and supply playing uniforms to schools including Ene's Safotu Primary School, which he attended before moving to Hawke's Bay with his family as a teenager, and Lafaga College which co-coach Pouvi Fatialofa attended.

Speaking from Bali last night, Gowler said if all three Lauano brothers wanted to play for Brothers he would support them.

"Of course they would leave big holes in our sevens squad but that would allow us to promote some colts players and develop them which is what our sevens programme is all about. The last I heard was that Migao wasn't planning on going to Samoa and would be available for us but that may have changed since he got back from Bali. If he has opted to play for Brothers to give them the best possible chance of being competitive in Samoa then we support him."

Sami Lauano scored 18 tries for NOBM during the winter, Migao seven and Johnny scored 207 points.

Ene was grateful to the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union for endorsing their application to play in Samoa. While that tournament is on the same weekend as the Hawke's Bay Sevens in Waipukurau, Ene said it is likely players who don't make the 14 for the Samoa trip will form a Brothers team for Waipukurau.

Brothers last played in the Auckland Samoan Sevens in 2015 and lost to the Auckland Marist team that went on to win the tournament by three points.

Brothers were beaten in the final of the 2015 Poverty Bay Sevens.

"A lot of our players were in the Hawke's Bay Samoans team which retained the High Commission Cup during the winter as well as our Napier Old Boys Marist team. We want to feed off those successes," Ene added.

The full Brothers Rugby and Sports squad for the summer is:
Filipo Taa, Ioane Taa, Vili Taa, Junior Taa, George Tuala, Solomoge Tuala, TJ Tanielu, Kitiona Taa, Migao Lauano, Sami Lauano, Johnny Lauano, Sonny Lilo, Junior Sanerivi. Coaches: Pouvi Fatialofa, Laulu Taa, Asa Ene.