NZ MARIST SEVENS SAMOA TOUR 2008
Tour report by Paul Mant, North Harbour Marist
The 20th of February 2008 saw the formation of the squad at Auckland airport, players and management making their way from all corners of New Zealand from as far south as Greymouth to the winterless north of Whangarei and everywhere in between. With a short meet and greet of the team we were soon rushing through the airport so that we could make the plane. Not sure if the management had incorporated the running through Auckland airport and stress of sorting out documents etc. as the first official training?
Before you could say "Talofa" all 15 players and management were sitting on board the plane catching breath from the strenuous run through the airport and enjoying the hospitality of the Air New Zealand staff! Arriving in Apia in the evening and it was time for the second training of the day involving loading all the gear onto the back of our transport. We were off in our convoy of vans and utes and we quickly learnt that the Samoan road laws were a little less elaborate than back home in NZ!
Arriving at Aggie Greys Hotel the boys had certainly worked up a hunger and it was evident to see as food was devoured with no remorse. Plans were made for the next day's activities and it was time for lights out.
Day Two
The boys met out the front for a run before working up a hunger for breakfast! Now the breakfasts at Aggies are something else - unreal selection of tropical fruit and various other delicacies! Everyone's plates were full and many people were joining the line 2nd and 3rd times! Meanwhile the management were sorting out the gear to be allocated to the team and what a great kit it was! The sponsors and NZ Marist had really outdone themselves with such great quality gear. Before the gear was issued it was officially time for each member of the group to introduce themselves and tell the group a little about their background and their aspirations for the tour and beyond.
First up was Mike Davies, an ex NZ Schoolboy rep originally hailing from Christchurch and now residing with his young family in Whangarei where he is contracted as a fullback to Northland for the NPC this year. Mike has lived and breathed sevens every summer for a number of years and his skills have been recognised with a number of invitations to NZ Sevens camps.
Next up was Josaia Yala Yala, or 'Jossy' as he was commonly known by the boys. Jossy was representing Greymouth Marist but has transferred to Nelson for his rugby for 2008. Originally hailing from Fiji and being brought up with sevens in his blood, Jossy was looking forward to making some great friends on the tour and having some real fun on the Rugby Field!
Frank Afeaki from Marist North Harbour was another, like Mike, with a strong sevens background attending many of Titch's infamous camps and at the age of 21 has a long future in the game ahead. Frank was looking forward to the tournament having recently recovered from an eye injury and wanting to make his mark over in Samoa!
Tevita Jurgensen is another player from the Winterless north representing Whangarei Marist. Tevita initially was a Rugby League player who converted to Rugby a few years back and is enjoying the transition. Tevita had also been part of the 2007 NZ Marist Colts tour so was looking at representing NZ Marist again proudly.
Clayton Kiwara, originally hailing from the Poverty Bay/East Coast region, was the youngest of our touring party and on his first trip outside of NZ so was lapping up the opportunity that was before him. Clayton, having just left Gisborne Boys last year, has moved down to the Hawke's Bay where he now represents Hastings Marist.
Next up was Sio Petelo originally hailing from Samoa and a St Josephs School old boy but now residing in South Auckland where he represents Ardmore Marist. Sio was excited about the prospects of the tournament and with a lot of his family still living in Samoa was also looking forward to being able to reunite with friends and family.
Isa Nawaqua was another forming the Whangarei Marist connection and also our Fijian trio. Isa was already showing his great sense of humour and had the boys in "stitches". Isa was very much looking forward to the opportunity to make his mark on the playing field and to furthering his career in the sevens form.
Fa'atonu Fili was next up and the captain of the touring side. Fa'atonu or "Tons" had travelled to Samoa as part of the 2006 NZ Marist team and has also represented Samoa in both the sevens and 15's so had a wealth of experience and knowledge. Representing Marist St Pats from Wellington he was looking forward to the tournament and giving everything he had to the team!
Lasa Ulukuta from Greymouth Marist was next up in front of the group. Lasa had travelled to Samoa with NZ Marist a few years back and was excited about the opportunity to come back and be part of the environment!
Our tenth member of the playing squad was young Vinny McDonald from Marist North Harbour, following in the footsteps of his older brother Aidan who has worn the NZ Marist colours in the past with the NZ Marist Colts. Vinny was excited also to be a part of the team and looking forward to the tournament!
Next up was our Management team: Tony Meachen or Meech introduced himself formally and also gave the team a background of his involvement in the Tournament over a number of years, and of the players who had used the opportunity with NZ Marist to step up to higher honours with NZ Sevens. Tony has been involved in sevens to the highest level and his wealth of knowledge and experience on and off the field was fantastic for the team!
Liam Halpin hailing from Marist St Pats brought a wealth of knowledge from a coaching and management perspective and was there to offer help and assistance to all of the team. Liam also would be filming the matches to give technical assistance.
Next up was myself Paul Mant from North Harbour Marist. I was honoured to be part of this group and very excited about learning from the management staff and from the players alike. I was there to offer assistance wherever I could!
Marc Futter was up next. Marc was a manager and also represented one of our principle sponsors, Cadbury! Marc has travelled to Samoa a number of times as part of the management team and reiterated the opportunity to use the tournament as a stepping stone to higher honours. Marc was there to ensure all the i's were dotted and the T's crossed which was a massive task!
Last but not least was Craig Dryden travelling as our referee representing NZ Marist and also another of our principle sponsors, Nobilo Wines. Craig had also travelled over with the team in the past and was excited about the makeup of the group.
The team was then briefed about what NZ Marist is all about and in what esteem the team is held in Samoa. Following that we travelled to the stadium - where the tournament would be held - for a training session. With all the new gear on we commenced training and it was very evident the "skill set" of the team was exceptionally high. What was also evident, was that although this was the first training together, this was a team in every sense of the word. Tons with his leadership took Vinny and Clayton being the younger lads under his wing and fed them with confidence! Tony was already showing his wealth of knowledge and implementing some strong tools to turn defence scrums into an attacking tool! Combinations began to shine and we looked like a force to be reckoned with. 10.30 in the morning and the heat was already a factor! We headed back to Aggie's for a pool session and lunch.
Later that day we headed over to St Joseph's College where we would have a training and a "Hit out" against the St Joseph's Club team (Coached by Brian Lima). It was critical to use the hit out as an opportunity to start implementing the "patterns" we had trained and to develop the continuity of play. The boys looked a little apprehensive about the game not knowing quite what to expect. All nerves disappeared very quickly as the game kicked off and the game began to flow. The Samoan style of sevens was a lot more confrontational than the boys were used to but as the game progressed combinations settled in and the tries followed. Tons was showing how elusive he could be to the St Josephs defence and left more than one or two looking at his heels as he zigged and swerved past them. By the end of the match there were a few sore bodies and everyone knew it was going to be a physical few days to come. It also become more than apparent that to win in Samoa was going to take some smart footie as a team and not relying on individuals to set the platform!
Day Three
After another light warm up in the morning and the breakfast set for kings we loaded up with Moro Bars, playing kits and more rugby balls than a rugby ball factory! We had a training and traditional warm-up game against the St Joseph's College sevens team. This school team would be no easy feat as they had just recently won the Samoa Schools' ten's tournament and had some very skillful players! Although the idea was to use the match as an opposed training with an emphasis on the patterns rather than going into contact situation, the St Joseph's boys saw this as an opportunity to beat a NZ representative touring team and came out pedal to the metal! The 'hit out' gave the team further opportunities to work as a unit and enhance the game plan and continuity. Providing just that and more, it was also interesting to see the depth of talent that lies amongst St Josephs and I look forward to seeing a few of their boys stepping out of school and up to the next level! Taupo Sefo from the College team and Augustine (Gus) Leilua from Marist St Joseph's Club were included as the 11th and 12th members of our squad.
After the game we all got changed into our lava lavas and made our way into the school auditorium where we were provided with a traditional Samoan welcoming. Each year NZ Marist provide St Josephs with jerseys, balls and a range of other goodies and every second year the 1st XV is provided with a brand new playing kit! As representatives of the NZ Marist Rugby Federation we were honoured by a Kava ceremony, considered the very highest honour to any visitors! The looks on not only the pupils' faces but also the teachers and principal further illustrated how important the role NZ Marist plays in the development of Rugby in Samoa! This generosity had local TV & Newspapers crews documenting every moment of the school visit! It was also a special moment when Sio addressed the school as a former old boy and member of our team. He spoke about fulfilling potential and the opportunities that are out there for them as young Samoans. He also spoke of what NZ Marist meant to him and how honoured he was to be a part of the team.
Following the presentation of all the jerseys, rugby balls and Moro Bars, the team and management were presented with a school cap and tie. The team then responded with a haka led by Clayton Kiwara. The school loved every second of the haka and responded with some school sports day "Cheers" which had our boys in fits of laughter. The ring leader of the School "Cheer" added such flair and comedy to the act it made the whole day extremely memorable. The team were then invited back to the school staff room for refreshments with the school's teachers. The refreshments included some of the best Pizza tasted by mankind and, for many of the boys, plenty of ice cream! Not sure how many schools in NZ have a staff room freezer full of ice cream?
The next stop was Marist Primary school to dish out more rugby balls and plenty more Cadbury Moro Bars! With school just about to end for the day the kids' faces lit up when the goodies freely flowed! Even the autograph books and pens came out and the team signed autographs (I'm sure the confidence ballooned after that!!). The school visits were such a humbling experience and to see the pure joy and excitement the presentation of jerseys, balls and Cadbury Moro Bars brought to the kids was unreal! The team was buzzing in the van back to the hotel and I'm sure not one of them will forget that day!
Day Four
The first day of the Marist St Josephs International Sevens! Breakfast in the morning and it was easy to see the players were excited about what lay in front of them, they knew it wasn't going to be a cake walk but understood the importance of the team unit as a whole. Unfortunately Frank Afeaki had picked up an ankle injury and was not able to play on the first day so it was important for the forwards to pick up the void Frank's skill and experience brought.
Heading down to the stadium the crowd was building and before we warmed up we watched two womens' teams battle it out. I'm sure some of our boys would have been worried about being on the receiving end of some of the tackles from the ladies! The heat was intense and it was important the team is hydrated. At times the management team looked like a UNICEF group taking water to Africa with the amount of time they spent filling up bottles of water!
First up was Sapapalii who brought a physical encounter to our lads. As the game progressed the boys lifted and began to dominate with their pace and skill being too much for the opposition. By the end of the match the game was ours 26 - 14 and we had our first win under our belt.
Time to head back to the hotel for a pool session and some lunch before our next game later that afternoon. Before we knew it, it was game two and the match was under way. Facing a village team named Malie. Right from the get-go Malie showed unbelievable urgency and accuracy to take the wind from our sail being up 21 - 0 in the first 4 minutes. Malie realised that they had to come at NZ Marist a hundred miles an hour and keep the ball in hand. By half time Tony had to look at altering the game plan with more of a focus on the "Rumble" and taking it back to Malie in the physicality. To our boys' credit they certainly came back in the second half but a late try sealed the deal for our opposition, with Malie winning the match 35 - 12. Although the team was disappointed about the result they talked about the importance of bouncing back on day two to finish the job.
Day Five
Again after a pre-breakfast warm up it was plain to see the focus and desire to get some good results was in every member of the teams eyes! First up was Apia and the boys hit the ground running from the first whistle. The combination of the forwards putting some real pressure in the ruck situation provided some great opportunities for our pace and skill out wide! Today was Vinny McDonald's 20th birthday and he celebrated with a try after some well orchestrated play. The combinations were looking better and better and this provided the team with a platform of confidence to "Play a Card" as Tony so aptly referred. The final result was 19 - 7 to us and a big tick for the first game of the day. We were now one win away from the Plate final and the boys were firmly focussed on another positive result!
Next up was Vaiala who would be tough and would bring another physical encounter. It was important for us to control the game and ensure we didn't allow the opposition to gain too much possession. First half was a mixed bag with both teams not quite finishing off their opportunities. This meant the second half would require an increase in intensity and control. Again the forwards really stepped up their physicality, tiring the Vaiala team and out pacing them across the paddock. The injection of one of our local players Taupo Sefo (St Josephs College), who has amazing out and out pace, closed out the game with an unbelievable try basically running around the whole opposition side! Final Score 19 - 12 to us!
With results going the other way for last years tournament champions Moataa, it meant we would face off with them in the final of the Plate. Moataa have a number of Samoan Sevens reps and were hurting from their elimination from the Cup round. With not a lot of time before our final the boys took on board as much water as possible and took a breather enjoying the matches before we warmed up again. The crowd was as vocal as I have ever seen, the passion Samoa has for rugby of any form is hard to rival and it was very pleasing to see the support and respect that was given to NZ Marist. Before we knew it, after a quick warm up, we were ready to play our final! Moataa showed right from the beginning why they were last years champs, playing with such passion and urgency which saw them put together two well executed first half tries. With a lack of possession we were struggling to build momentum and defending for solid periods of time which in sevens is very hard work! The second half was no easier with our local talent Taupo dislocating his arm in some more than brutal defence from the opposition. He was off to hospital to be looked after. Next up Frank carried on his run of injuries requiring some stitches to the head. Without gaining the required possession the final score drifted away to 22 - 0. Although the final result was not what the boys had wanted, the unity of the team was stronger than ever as was the realisation that they had still done NZ Marist and themselves proud by reaching the final in a very tough tournament!
It was time for presentation of the Plate runner-up trophies and our team debrief after the tournament. The team finished with a group prayer lead by Lasa. The final was just about to kick off and the crowd were going ballistic, no better time for the team as a sign of respect to perform a haka to the main grandstand! After the Haka was performed the crowd then performed back Manu Samoa which had the boys beaming! Before heading back to watch the final it was also time to dish out more Cadbury Moro and more NZ Marist balls!! The looks on peoples' faces to catch a ball or Moro Bar was priceless and added real value to the whole occasion!
The final was Vaiala captained by Samoan speedster Mikaele Pesamino against Fiji's Global Barbarians. The local team more than rose to the occasion winning 44-12.
We headed back to get ready for dinner and prize giving and a few well earnt refreshments! The laughter flowed and the team's faces never stopped smiling all night! After dinner, with the whole restaurant performing a great tribute Happy Birthday to Vinny McDonald, we tested a few local watering holes and headed off to Marist St Josephs Clubrooms for the "After Party"! It was unbelievable to see the hospitality shown to the team by the locals and it made the night that much better!
Day Six
With the odd sore head in the morning, some headed off to church while others headed out where Peter Fatialofa had invited the overseas teams, (Auckland Samoans, Brisbane Samoans and NZ Marist) out to a BBQ at a resort beach! What a beautiful beach and as a keen surfer with no surfboard it was a light form of torture watching perfect waves peel by on the outer reefs! The team relaxed in the resort's swimming pool, with the Fijian boys always providing a chorus of infectious laughter - it was a great way to wind down! The BBQ was unbelievable with a pig on the spit and enough food to feed an army! Everyone enjoyed the hospitality and socialised with the locals and other teams, the day ending with some song and a haka. It was a real honour to be invited out to the beach and another real highlight of the trip.
Day Seven
Final day and time to do some shopping for family and loved ones as the team hit the local markets. Tavita then had his moment of the trip with a marriage proposal from a 50+ local lady looking to move to NZ. Strangely he declined and carried on as quickly as he could back to the hotel! Heading off to the airport the laughter and smiles still flowed and it was amazing to think the team had been together for only six days with such strong team unity and friendship so apparent! We were greeted at the airport by our local team member Taupo with his arm in sling but a smile on his face! He was so honoured to have been involved in the team and we can only hope a player of his skill level and promise may grace our shores one day to play his rugby!
Arriving back in Auckland to part our ways we joined together one more time as a team on our call "Brothers". Although we were parting ways we had all made great friendships and will have the memories of a fantastic trip! Special mention must go here to Tony as it is hard to put into words how important his role is to NZ Marist. During the whole trip he was held in such high esteem by the Samoans for his hard work in bringing NZ teams to the tournament each year and for the support NZ Marist provides to Samoa! It was amazing to be involved with such a great group of talented rugby players and I'm sure we all look forward to following their ongoing development!
The management group and sponsors must also be made mention of as the behind the scenes work and support is instrumental in the success of the whole trip! On a personal note I learnt so much from being part of the whole experience and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of NZ Marist! I would like to personally say that the team did NZ Marist proud and I could only hope to be part of such a positive group of players and management in the future!
Many Thanks
Paul Mant North Harbour Marist
*****
Team and Management:
| Frank Afeaki Mike Davis Fa'atonu Fili (C) Tevita Jurgensen Clayton Kiwara Vincent McDonald Isa Nawaqa Alesio Petelo Lasa Ulukuta Josaia Yalayala Augustine Leilua Taupo Sefo
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North Harbour Marist Whangarei Marist Marist St Pats Whangarei Marist Hastings Rugby and Sports North Harbour Marist Whangarei Marist Ardmore Marist Marist Greymouth Nelson Marist Marist St Joseph's Club, Samoa Marist St Joseph's College, Samoa
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| Management: | |
| Tony Meachen |
Coach, Tour Organiser, Sports Development Ltd, Marist St Pats |
| Mark Futter | Manager, Sponsor, Cadbury Confectionery Ltd |
| Craig Dryden | Manager, Referee, Sponsor, Nobilo Wine Group |
| Liam Halpin | Manager, Marist St Pats |
| Paul Mant | Manager, North Harbour Marist |
RESULTS:
| Pool Play |
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| Sapapalii | NZ Win | 26 - 14 |
| Malie | NZ Loss | 35 - 12 |
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Quarter-Final (Plate) |
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| Apia | NZ Win | 19 - 7 |
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Semi-Final (Plate) |
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| Vaiala | NZ Win | 19 - 12 |
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Final (Plate) |
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| Moataa | NZ Loss | 22 - 0 |
Sincere thanks to all our sponsors:
New Zealand Community Trust
Cadbury Confectionery Ltd
Nobilo Wine Group
Apia Rentals
TOUR PHOTOS - click to enlarge
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| Team Photo | Team Prayer | Taupo Sefo and father farewell the boys at the airport |
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| Pool Session at Aggie Greys | Samoan TV Interview Set | Haka led by Clayton Kiwara |
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| Captain Fa'atonu Fili congratulates Taupo Sefo | Team fan looks on in awe | Tournament Presentation night |
