Rugby World Cup: A day of mixed emotions for islanders

The Samoan rugby team are aiming to puut on a good show in their final pool game against South Africa tonight at North Harbour Stadium. Photo / Paul Estcourt

When Samoa kick off tonight, the players' thoughts will stray to the other side of the international dateline.

Some 3000km away and, more importantly, 23 hours behind, thousands of Samoans will gather to cheer on their team on a date that will be forever etched into their hearts.

Two years ago on September 29 an 8.1-magnitude earthquake struck under the ocean, spawning a tsunami that swept over Samoa and Tonga, which wiped villages off the map and claimed 189 lives.

It's not as if Samoa needed to open the emotional tap, with their progression through to the knockout rounds resting on the mother of all upsets against South Africa tonight. But they'll try their best to channel it.

"It will be a day of mixed emotions for the people of Samoa," Seilala Mapusua acknowledged. "We haven't spoken at length about it but I'm sure it will be mentioned a bit more going into [last night's] jersey presentation."

In keeping with tradition, a former Samoan captain, Pat Lam, will be on hand to present each player with the jersey they will wear during tonight's Albany showdown.

Rugby will be talked about, but so will the tragedy that continues to affect the lives of those in the islands.

"It's always something that is in the back of our minds. It's something we hold close to our hearts. It's one of those things that doesn't have to be talked too much about," Mapusua said. "Samoa's a small place. Everyone was affected, every Samoan in the world was affected. It's very close to all the boys.

"It's one of those games where we don't need a lot of motivation for the pure fact of what's at stake and the significance of the day. We have to make sure we concentrate and focus on the task at hand."

Coach Dickie Tafua said Samoa would go into this match with a gameplan unlike anything we have seen from them. Quite what that entailed, Tafua was not about to let on.

"We are positive in our patterns and everything we have planned. Keep on watching for what is going to happen on the field."

There's no getting away from the fact that Samoa's gameplans thus far have tended towards the pragmatic. That has led to criticism that over-coaching was stifling the flair from the Pacific Island nations.

Mapusua did not exactly dismiss it as a valid criticism, but he did give an eloquent explanation for the way they have approached the tournament.

"It is a World Cup and these are do-or-die test matches, not one-off test matches where ... there's nothing to play for the week after.

"It is a tournament. The past winners have shown that it's not always the most exciting team playing the most exciting rugby that gets into the knockout stages of the World Cup.

"Whilst we're still staying true to our values, we're also trying to progress as far as we can in this competition."

The destructive centre said he did not feel he was playing in a straitjacket, but acknowledged the format of the tournament and the tough group they had been placed in made it hard to play a laissez faire game.

The game used as a weapon against Samoa was the Pacific Islands derby against Fiji in front of an expectant crowd of 60,000. Tricky conditions, a poor Fiji performance and a ruthless approach from Samoa, quickly put paid to any hopes of a carnival match.

"We still have the freedom to express ourselves, but we also have structures and patterns in place. It has been a tough three weeks for us, to be able to showcase our Pacific Island flair, but we've had to have specific gameplans for the teams we come up against.

"Hopefully we can put on a bit more of a show tonight."

Thousands of people sitting back in September 29 are hoping for the same thing.