Gregor Paul: Samoa need to front

For all the feel-good and excitement sweeping the country, Samoa have to front at Apia Park and leave with their heads held high, writes Gregor Paul.

There's been a parade, literally hundreds of tonnes of flesh pressed, school visits and endless talk about what it all means but, as kickoff looms, the question of whether Manu Samoa are any good can't be put off any longer.

The bond between the two nations has been formed through their mutual love of rugby and tightened through their mutual respect.

So for all the feel-good and excitement sweeping the country, Samoa have to front at Apia Park and leave with their heads held high.

That was the point expertly made by the Samoan Prime Minister in a welcome speech that had an irascible charm and poignancy.

While it does his oratory skills no justice, the gist was that having fought so hard to finally host the All Blacks, Manu Samoa need to deliver a suitably apt performance to honour the occasion.

That doesn't mean they have to win or come within a whisker of winning. What it means is they have to deliver an 80-minute performance where their basic skills hold up.

They have to maintain their pass-and-catch accuracy for the duration, ensure their set-piece doesn't falter in the final quarter and retain their discipline and control at the breakdown.

If they can do all that and tackle their hearts out, then the final score won't matter too much. How big is that if, though?

Every side comes into a test against the All Blacks knowing what they have to do, what they would like to do.

But just twice since 2012 has execution matched aspiration and only South Africa and England have managed to gain ascendancy for long enough to inflict defeat on the world's top-ranked side.

What chance Samoa being able to be the third? In five previous encounters against the All Blacks, they haven't come close, haven't played anywhere near as well as they could.

Some of that has been down to the age-old problem of player release - a situation that hasn't arisen for this test.

Census Johnston was nearly a casualty - the giant prop announcing his retirement from test rugby a few weeks ago only to be talked out of it when an injury crisis left Manu Samoa short of front-rowers.

Johnston's initial decision to retire was encouraged by his club Toulouse who didn't want to lose him for the World Cup.

His presence not only sends a message to the French that Pacific Island players are ready to stand up to their devious contracting, it gives Samoa a huge presence and experienced scrummager in the front-row.

The Samoan pack, in fact, looks well enough equipped to handle themselves and provide possession for a backline that has enough explosive power and direction to find and exploit space.

Kahn Fotuali'i is as good as most halfbacks in the world game and Tim Nanai-Williams brings an intriguing set of skills to the test arena.

"They have got some guys that, if you give them space and ball they want and it becomes unstructured, then they will make you pay," says All Black captain Richie McCaw.

"A guy like Kahn Fotuali'i will take any opportunity that opens up and they are big lads if you allow them to get go-forward. I think that is the key - to not give them easy opportunities."

The bigger issue is whether Samoa can handle the pressure of the occasion. This is the biggest test in their history and the last few days have been emotionally demanding.

So much rests on their shoulders, so much responsibility lies with them to make the nation proud that they could easily freeze or be gripped by anxiety.

But the All Blacks don't think they will. The bulk of Samoa's team play for big professional clubs. Most of them have played in big games before, know what pressure is all about and know how to get the best out of themselves.

"There is no doubt about that," says All Black assistant coach Ian Foster on whether Samoa are a good side.

"If you look at their roster at the moment and their World Cup pool and programme leading into it, they are in a great spot to have a good couple of months preparation and be a dangerous team at the World Cup.

"They have done it before. They have a history of causing a few upsets. This is going to be a fully-fledged international for us. For them, the fact they have all had a bit of a break and are coming into a test is going to be significant for their whole country, changes the dynamics.

"And that is what we need. It is a great challenge for us to start a campaign."