Manuma Samoa is least worried about Drua players in the Swire Shipping Fijian Warriors squad heading into their first of two invitational matches at 3pm Saturday at the HFC Bank Stadium, Suva.

Their second match is next Saturday at the same venue.

“We are not worried about the Drua and the Super Rugby players, our focus is on ourselves,”

Manuma Samoa head coach Afa Hanipale said yesterday.

The visitors arrived on Monday with 23 locals and seven New Zealand-based players; yesterday they were training at the University of the South Pacific grounds, Laucala Bay, Suva.

“If we do what we are trying to achieve in a game then the results will come,” he said.

Raikabula Momoedonu during a training session with the Fijian Warriors in Suva on
August 23, 2022. Photo: Ronald Kumar

“If we worry about them and their players then what we want to do is not going to work. We knew that there will be Drua players and the boys are looking forward to play against those guys. Our focus is to be the better side.”

He also said their overseas-based players brought in a different culture and have blended in well.

The NZ-based players include Qalikarua, Matuku, Lau native Frtiz Rayasi, Manukau Rovers duo Faletoi Peni and Lafaele Anthony Nicholas who recently won the Gallaher Shield in the Auckland Premier club rugby competition.

Other players are former Under-20 rep Ailepata Jounior Leafa Lemalu and ex-sevens rep Joe Prez ad Miracle Tevita Failagi. Hanipale indicated that Manu Samoa’s recent victory in the Pacific National Cup had boosted the young side’s morale to do their best.

“We had a camp in Samoa for one week because we had seven players from New Zealand,” he said.

“Preparation has been really good; we look forward to playing the Fijian Warriors. This is an opportunity Lakapi Samoa is giving to our local players. The seven players from NZ, are basically for positions we could not fill in Samoa. They are bringing in something new, a different mindset on how we do things, that’s the purpose so far.

“The focus of these players is to represent Samoa in the Manu Samoa.

I have spoken to Manu Samoa head coach Seilala Mapusua and our conversation was that; the more progress the Manu Samoa does the more younger players will be motivated to play well.”

Hanipale, who is here for the first time, is urging the Samoan community to support them on Saturday.

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