Six Local Players Get Called Up to the Manu Samoa 7s Commonwealth Games Training Squad

Manu Samoa Sevens Head Coach Muliagatele Brian Lima has announced a 21-man training squad for the Commonwealth Games 2022 in July with a message that the final selection will be made after the upcoming Vailima Marist 7s.

Limā retains 15 of the 16 players that made up the recent Manu Samoa 7s squad.

Amongst the six local players called into the training squad are Laulii Lions captain Paul Eti Slater, and Laulii speedster Bright Tapeneko who had been training with the squad before they departed for Dubai in January.

The third Laulii player to get the call-up is forward, Sam Asotasi, who has not been named in previous squads and will get his first taste of Lima’s training this week.

Taualai Panoa Asiata, a former Alofi-o-Taoa College student from Fatuvalu, Savaii who has played for Safotu and Tama Uli, gets the recall.

Taunuu Niulevaea, a former Samoa Under 20s player who has played for Safotu and Aana is also named.

Both these youngsters, Taualai Panoa and Taunuu Niulevaea had been named in previous Manu Samoa 7’s training squads, but stopped turning up. The current hype and success of the team may change their attitudes this time round.

Paul Stanley of the Vaimoso Club is recalled into the squad; a speedster identified by the Manu Samoa 7s coaches after the national athletics Champ of Champs.

“There will be an opportunity for other players during the up-coming Marist 7s tournament to impress the selectors and team management for possible selection,” reads the press statement published on the team’s social media pages.

The Manu Samoa 7s squad returned to Samoa last Sunday after spending more that five months camped Dubai to participate in four HSBC 7s legs.

Muliagatele’s young squad took the international rugby competition by storm, finishing 4th in three consecutive HSBC World Series tournaments, after five overseas-based players left the squad with grievances against the Management.

The Manu Samoa 7s squad took a week off training after arriving in Samoa and will back on Monday 13th June.

“All listed players must report to team training at 8.00am Monday 13th June 2022 at the Lakapi Samoa High Performance Unit (HPU) Tuanaimato”, states the press release.

#FaaSamoa

AU TOLENI A LE MANU SAMOA 7s MO TAALOGA O LE MALO O TAUPULEGA

Ua faalauiloa mai nei e le Faiaoga Ulu ole Manu Samoa Taitoafitu, Muliagatele Brian Lima ia le lisi o Tama e moomia le auai atu ile Au Toleni aua tapenaga mo taaloga a le Malo o Taupulega o loma nei ia Iulai/Aokuso.

Faamolemole tama taaalo uma ua taua suafa, ia auai uma mai le toleniga i le Aso Gafua 13/06/2022 i le 8am i le HPU Tuanaimato.

E iai foi nisi alo ma fanau o loo fia silasila ai le pulega pe a maea le Fitu a Malisi.

Faafetai

Pulega Manu Samoa 7s.

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