Seasoned Samoa pack ready to mix it

By DAVID LEGGAT

BRISBANE - Samoa's real World Cup campaign hits Ground Zero at Suncorp Stadium tonight.

They go into the match against South Africa exactly where they expected to be at the start of the cup: needing to beat the Springboks to secure a quarter-final place for the third time at a World Cup.

In that respect nothing has changed, but their remarkable display against England last weekend has reset the parameters.

Now, rather than going in hoping to pull off what will be a stunning result, there is a genuine air of belief in the Samoan camp.

"The confidence is there. We know it's going to be a really tough battle, but our aim is to try and emulate, if not do better than, the past Samoan teams," experienced lock Leo Lafaiali'i said.

The 29-year-old former Auckland and Blues forward, now playing for Sanyo in Japan, said right from the start of the campaign the catch-cry in the camp had been making this the greatest of all Samoan teams.

The 13-point loss against England heightened the view that it is within their grasp tonight.

"I was really disappointed that we didn't nail the result against England," Lafaiali'i said.

"Having said that, we felt quite satisfied that we had given it everything.

"Now we have to give it 110 per cent against a team who, if anything, are more physical than England."

The athletic Lafaiali'i, Samoa's lineout kingpin who will be playing his 15th test, is one of eight players in tonight's starting XV who were in the side beaten 60-18 by South Africa in Pretoria last year.

However, it's very much a case of that was then ... The common assumption is that the Samoans will try to move the ball wide to keep the beefy Springbok pack on the run.

But Samoa's assistant coach, Michael Jones, maintained that his pack has the ability and experience to mix it with the Springboks.

"We have a very seasoned pack, very mature. It's been taking shape for two or three years and everything has been done to peak at the right time.

"And I like what I see," the former All Black legend added.

Certainly in Lafaiali'I and his fellow lock Opeta Palepoi, captain and No 8 Semo Setiti and frontrowers Kas Lealamanua, Jonathan Meredith and Jeremy Tomuli there is a core of experience.

"Our aim is not just parity, but to dominate, and in all phases, up front. You can't take a backward step," Jones said. "South Africa have a very formidable pack, but we don't feel threatened by that, and we're certainly not intimidated."



There might be an element of bluff and counter bluff in all that, given that Samoa must bring dangerous runners such as Lome Fa'atau, the ageless Brian Lima and Tanner Vili into the play to stretch the Springbok defensive line.

Bringing the blindside wing in to run at England's midfield and outside backs from a deep position brought positive results for Samoa and hinted at detailed planning and looking for an element of surprise.

Yet Jones' praise for his forwards does hint at a no-holds-barred tussle up front.

But, if things do get a bit tasty among the tight men, Samoa insist they won't be the initiators.

"We've got to be very disciplined," coach John Boe said. .

"We can't afford penalties and yellow cards, and that was one of the big pluses for us out of the England game."

As for South Africa, they've been in bunker mode for the past two days, saying nothing apart from naming their side, which contains three changes from the side beaten 25-19 by England.

Two are in the front row - prop Faan Rautenbach and hooker John Smit brought in to increase mobility - but the most significant is the introduction of talented 20-year-old Derick Hougaard at first five-eighth in place of the static Louis Koen.

"We've been building him up slowly and it's a great test for him to show he can handle the pressure of test rugby," Springbok coach Rudolf Straeuli said.

Jones had high praise for Hougaard, putting him in the Jonny Wilkinson and Carlos Spencer bracket as one of world rugby's best No 10s.

He said it with a straight face and, no doubt, with sincerity.

But it is a cast-iron certainty that Samoa will look to put the blowtorch on a player in just his fourth test, and first as the starting No 10.

The Samoans have had a relatively quiet week, getting over the bumps and bruises from the England game. "Just fine tuning and, if anything, trying to freshen up," as Lafaiali'I put it.

There is no doubt Samoa believe destiny is at hand. The hard truth, however, is that the gap between spirited ambition and cold reality might just be too big to bridge.

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