Family values drive Samoa's success

By DAVID LEGGAT in Brisbane

Early in a wide-ranging media conference with a largely South African audience this week, Samoa's coach John Boe was trying to put into context their prospects of victory against the Springboks tonight.

The two teams knew a bit about each other from a test last year and a brief pre-World Cup tour to the Republic this year.

"I don't know if that's an advantage. We don't know ourselves what we're going to do," Boe quipped.

There was a time when it would have been a fair assessment of Samoa's game strategy. But few in the audience bought the line this week.

That is a testimony to Samoa's greater awareness of the international game, brought about in large part by one of the things which causes the island nation perennial difficulty: having so many of their best players dotted around the globe playing professional rugby.

It also goes some way to explaining why Samoa are now regarded as a team who can tangle with the best nations, as they did against England last weekend, and come away with glowing praise ringing in their ears.

England and Samoa operate in vastly different environments, as Boe and his assistant, Michael Jones, highlighted.

England have a backup staff almost equal in numbers to their playing squad at the cup; Samoa's video analysis is done by their fitness trainer and baggage man.

Whereas England and the other heavy hitters of this tournament want for nothing, Samoa have the pride of their community as their main spur.

Samoa's support team includes a community liaison officer. This week the team have been inundated by the local Samoan people with offers of support none of the big guns can match.

"They still turn up with apples, oranges and bananas because they think we aren't eating well enough," Jones said. "And that's what motivates us, the love and support of our people throughout the world.

"It's phenomenal and drives us to fight above our weight."

Jones, who wears two caps as one of the greatest All Blacks, talked of the "intrinsic values" of culture, faith and belief which they share with their supporters as "part of the essence of who we are."

Boe, the New Zealander who was until recently on the New Zealand Rugby Union payroll, threw his weight behind Jones' words.

"We talk about passion in New Zealand [for the All Blacks], but I think of lot of that is just talk. The Samoans have real passion for the game."

One of the key planks of Samoan rugby is respect. It is a word that Boe and Jones use frequently.

The Samoan squad has a hierarchical structure in which the older heads - captain Semo Setiti, Earl Va'a, Brian Lima, Leo Lafaiali'i, Terry Fanolua and Opeta Palepoi - inspire the younger players.

Boe said: "The respect of the senior players is enormous. I think we could all learn from it.

"Semo is the leader, but the other five help him on and off the field. They guide the ship."

This, then, is a family as much as a team. A very large family.

Full World Cup coverage