a day ago
New Manu Samoa head coach eyes strong start against Scotland ahead of PNC campaign
Manu Samoa players at training ahead of their Test match against Scotland in Auckland. 12 July 2025
Photo:
Facebook / Manu Samoa
Manu Samoa vs Scotland
Kickoff: 3pm Friday, 18 July
Eden Park, Auckland
New Manu Samoa head coach Lemalu Tusi Pisi wants Friday night's one-off Test match against Scotland to set the pace for their 2025 Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) campaign.
The Samoans host the touring Scots at Eden Park in Auckland due to their home ground, Apia Park, undergoing major renovations.
Pisi, a former Manu Samoan captain, told PMN this week that his coaching team's focus in the past few weeks has been on setting the standards they want for the players, as they work towards securing a spot at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The coaching panel includes former prop Census Johnston, who is scrum and overall forwards, Kane Thompson, assisting with the lineouts and contact skills and Tai Lavea, head coach of Toshiba Brave Lupus, who is their defence coach.
Samoa lost out of automatic qualification for the world cup because they did not make the top eight at the 2023 event in France.
World Rugby has since expanded the number of teams to compete in Australia, going four teams up from 20 to 24.
The PNC series, which kicks off on 23 August, will double as a Rugby World Cup qualifier.
Manu Samoa, the 'Ikale Tahi of Tonga, Canada, Japan, the American Eagles and Fiji are all in the series this year.
However, Fiji and Japan are the only teams that have qualified for the world cup, with the three top teams from the series advancing to the world meet.
"The immediate goal is to qualify for the World Cup," Pisi said, adding building habits that would help them achieve that is important.
"Being with the previous two coaches they have laid a really good platform for me. There are things they have done that I can carry on doing. Also things I can bring my own flavour to.
"For this game coming up, it is going to be about instilling habits we want to see, being consistent in what we are trying to build our game on."
Pisi said the fact that players have come from different systems and competition makes their job challenging.
But he believes the leadership of their senior players plus the coaching staff have helped in making things work.
Manu Samoa head coach Tusi Pisi
Photo:
AFP / Sameer Al-Doumy
"They have come from different systems and different ways of doing things," Pisi said.
"We are working on our habits, what we want to play in our game. All these little things we are wanting to instil now as Test rugby is you win by margins or lose by margins.
"So the first 20 minutes are key for our game drivers and also our set piece to get parity in there."
Manu Samoa will be without some of their top players, with some opting to focus on their clubs at the moment.
That includes Moana Pasifika trio, flanker Miracle Failangi, centre Danny Toala and halfback Jonathan Taumateine, who all have opted for the National Provincial Championships competition in New Zealand.
Pisi said that is understandable and he has applauded those who have opted to join the team for the campaign.
He said "this is the opportunity for them", adding those who perform will be first options for the next campaign.
For Friday's clash against Scotland, Pisi said they will just go out and test what they have been building on.
He said a balance of the starting lineup and the players on the bench is crucial, especially with Scotland having shown in their two matches so far that they still contest for the ball and points in the last quarter of the game.
Scotland beat the Maori All Blacks in their first game two weekends ago but lost to Fiji in Suva last Saturday.
"My stance is really clear: whoever comes in and performs, those guys are moving on to the next campaign," Pisi said.
"All of them are leaders of men. It's their standard on and off the field that drives this team; their habits off the field reflect their habits on the field."
The Manu Samoans have been in Auckland for the past week.
They will be led by captain Theodore McFarland and have experienced hands in Michael Alaalatoa, Samuel Slade, Taleni Seu, Meilani Matavao, Alai D'angelo Leuila and Henry Taefu.
