On the eve before the Manu Samoa Sevens are set to take up the challenge of the HSBC London leg, special guest and former captain of the Manu Samoa, Ofisa Treviranus, presented the team with their jerseys.
The 38 year old was the epitome of power, strength and speed when he played for Samoa’s national sevens team and was a fitting guest at the jersey presentation before the London 7s.
Treviranus was part of the 12-man squad who won the IRB Sevens World Series in 2010. He was given the opportunity to share words of wisdom and spoke to inspire the young Manu Samoa 7s players.
Most of the current squad would have been cheering for Treviranus as young boys when the side lifted the World Series Championship Cup in 2010.
Ofisa Treviranus attended St Josephs College in Samoa. He made his debut for the Manu Samoa 15s against Japan in Sigatoka in June 2009. He was part of the 2011 Rugby World Cup squad for Samoa, and played in three matches.
In 2015, Ofisa was selected to captain the Manu Samoa 15s in its historic match against the All Blacks at Apia Park.
Treviranus signed with English club London Irish in 2011 and is still with them today with 134 matches and 85 points for the London club.
Treviranus’ visit with the all-local Manu Samoa 7s team has provided the players with a glimpse of the career pathway that they, too, can have from pursuing rugby 7s.
Samoa will play Japan, Scotland and England in the pool matches of the London 7s. For supporters in Samoa and the southern hemisphere, that would mean an all-nighter with a pot of koko Samoa to catch the action.
The year 2022 is a huge one for rugby sevens. Alongside the HSBC Series, the Commonwealth Games will take place in Birmingham, England on 29-31 July, and following the grand finale of the men’s Series in Los Angeles on 27-28 August, all eyes will turn to Cape Town, South Africa for what promises to be a record-breaking Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 9-11 September.
Message from Manu Samoa 7’s Sponsors
Samoa International Business Finance Centre (“Samoa IBFC”) under the auspices of SIFA continues to be a strong advocate of community development and elite sporting teams that promote the “Samoa IBFC” logo globally. Samoa IBFC is proud to be the Naming Rights Jersey Sponsor for the Manu Samoa 7s Team and the Manu Samoa 15s rugby team for the year 2022.
This historical partnership between SIFA and Lakapi Samoa is testament to “Samoa IBFC” objective of promoting Samoa as a reputable jurisdiction for international financial services. This support has in the past seen the Manu Samoa 7s team reach the highest rank of the HSBC World Sevens Series as World Champions in 2010. For 2022, Samoa IBFC places its full support on the Manu Samoa 7s team as it enters the HSBC World Sevens Series once again after 2 years absence due to the global pandemic.
The current Manu Samoa 7s team was selected from local 7s tournaments coordinated by local bodies and supported by Samoa IBFC such as the Marist Samoa International 7s, Iva 7s and other tournaments endorsed by Lakapi Samoa.
Samoa IBFC believes in the development of Samoan talent from grassroots to professional level and evident in its sponsorship of all Sporting bodies in Samoa, namely Rugby, Rugby League, Netball Samoa, Tennis, Weightlifting, Golf, Taekwondo, Boxing, Touch Rugby, Game fishing and Samoan cricket. Samoa IBFC wishes the Manu Samoa 7s team all the best in the upcoming London leg of the HSBC Sevens Series.
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