In July this year Manu Samoa qualified for their fifth Rugby World Cup after two convincing wins over Papua New Guinea. Since then, the team have begun preparing for their next big challenge - Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.
Samoan Team Manager Tuala Matthew Vaea has been in New Zealand recently conducting venue tours to assess the facilities the team will use while competing in 2011.
"We have spent the past three days visiting some potential accommodation and training venues for our team. Overall the facilities are very good. Some are still incomplete but we know there is a lot of work that will be done over the next two years and I am sure the finished product will be excellent," said Vaea.
"We have full confidence that Rugby New Zealand [2011 Ltd] will have everything ready. The level of access to top quality grounds is outstanding and we are very happy with the proposed facilities. Interestingly, it is quite relaxed compared to the Northern Hemisphere and I think the boys will really enjoy their stay here."
Since their qualification, Samoa has had an opportunity to refocus, beginning with the upcoming Northern Hemisphere tour. Both the Fifteens and Sevens programmes have new motivation with both RWC 2011 and the chance to win Olympic gold when Rugby Sevens joins the Olympic Programme for Rio 2016.
"There is now an air of confidence in the team, especially following our successful qualification for RWC 2011. It is very exciting knowing we are two years out from the Tournament. We have a Northern Hemisphere tour coming up so there are a lot of exciting opportunities for the young guys coming through. We have had to make adjustments from focusing on our short term goals to more long term plans."
During the RWC 2011 pool match stage, Samoa will face Pacific neighbours Fiji, RWC 2007 champions South Africa, Wales and the top African qualifier.
Their third pool match will be played at Auckland's Eden Park against Fiji in what will be a Pacific showdown. Auckland is home to a large and vibrant Pacific Island community and Vaea predicts it will be a popular match for fans.
"I am sure we will receive a warm welcome here. There are over 80,000 Samoans living throughout the Auckland area and we expect a large number of them, as well as the wider Pacific community, to come out to support the team. It will be a very exciting match," added Vaea.
Coming together to rebuild
In the lead up to RWC 2011, many Samoan players are competing in Rugby competitions throughout the world with clubs in New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the Northern Hemisphere. For Vaea, this presents a significant logistical challenge.
"Our top 40 players are spread throughout the world. That does affect our ability to come together as a squad prior to kick off. This is not a new position for us and we have faced this over the past four to five World Cups.
"From a tactical point of view, the players are exposed to a wide range of coaching staff and styles which can differ dramatically. However we don't see it as a major problem but we need to encourage the squad to come together as much as possible to train and build."
The team and the Samoan Rugby Union have also been affected by the recent tsunami disaster that devastated the region in September this year. However Vaea is encouraged by the unity and strength that has been shown throughout the small nation to recover and rebuild.
"The tsunami was the most devastating natural disaster our country has experienced in terms of the loss of life and property. It still has an effect on everyone in the country. Many players and staff lost loved ones. However the nation has come together to rebuild. It will take us about a year or so but we will do it. We have received a lot of aid from New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and other European nations and that support has been invaluable."
The support of their country will be a key strength for Manu Samoa as they prepare to take on the Rugby world in 2011.
