America Samoa

[rusty_lock]

Noticed this article the other today and wonder what effect it will have on USA rugby.

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=201795

Historically the "Eagles" have recruited quite a few player from American Samoa. I would assume that current players would be bound to USA rugby now since they are already capped by the USA however, I would think that that well will be running dry for them. It will interesting to see the longer term effects of this on USA rugby and how well American Samoa will fare once they start to play some tests that matter.

Current USA National team members born in American Samoa

Valenese Malifa
Tai Enosa
Andrew Suniula

Roland Suniula

 

[welshglory]

Interesting... I wonder what American Samoan's consider themselves as. Samoan, American or American Samoan?

 

[Sam Owen]

Interesting... I wonder what American Samoan's consider themselves as. Samoan, American or American Samoan?

American Samoan.

 

[welshglory]

American Samoan.

Ahh cheers mate.

 

[Melhor Time]

This is interesting.

Good news for Oceania I would suggest. There is no reason why it can´t work and American Samoa can´t be like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

Now then... Northern Ireland has no team...

If anyone doesn´t know the deal with American Samoa it is as follows - it is part of the USA. Officially it is an unincorporated territory which means it is not a soverign state. In international law to be a country = to be a sovereign state.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

If their players capped by the US are allowed to play for them, so would Jerome Kaino...

 

[welshglory]

This is interesting.

Good news for Oceania I would suggest. There is no reason why it can´t work and American Samoa can´t be like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

Now then... Northern Ireland has no team...

If anyone doesn´t know the deal with American Samoa it is as follows - it is part of the USA. Officially it is an unincorporated territory which means it is not a soverign state. In international law to be a country = to be a sovereign state.

That's because Northern Ireland doesn't want a team

 

[TPenn]

Noticed this article the other today and wonder what effect it will have on USA rugby.

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=201795

Historically the "Eagles" have recruited quite a few player from American Samoa. I would assume that current players would be bound to USA rugby now since they are already capped by the USA however, I would think that that well will be running dry for them. It will interesting to see the longer term effects of this on USA rugby and how well American Samoa will fare once they start to play some tests that matter.

Current USA National team members born in American Samoa

Valenese Malifa
Tai Enosa
Andrew Suniula

Roland Suniula

It's an interesting situation for sure. Obviously completely different circumstances politically but there are a number of soccer players who have played for different countries due to nations declaring independence and then being recognised separately. As a recent example Mirko Vucinic represented Serbia and Montenegro and then chose to play for Montenegro when the two countries split.

 

[smartcooky]

Realistically, Rugby is virtually non-existent in American Samoa, which is dominated by Gridiron Football and Baseball. USA Rugby tends to recruit players from Gridiron Football.

American Samoa isn't even on the rankings list, and I have no record of them ever playing an official test! AFAIK they have played unofficial matches v Cook Islands, Niue, Wallis & Fortuna, Tahiti and New Caledonia.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Realistically, Rugby is virtually non-existent in American Samoa, which is dominated by Gridiron Football and Baseball. USA Rugby tends to recruit players from Gridiron Football.

American Samoa isn't even on the rankings list, and I have no record of them ever playing an official test! AFAIK they have played unofficial matches v Cook Islands, Niue, Wallis & Fortuna, Tahiti and New Caledonia.

They're an IRB member since yesterday... I reckon it's normal they haven't played any tests yet...

 

[Melhor Time]

True Welshglory. Could change at some point though... perhaps...

Rusty

Honestly I am not sure it will have much of an impact, if any, on the USA at all. There were five American Samoans in the USA Eagles World Cup squad last year but none of them were particularly good. People remember names like Clever, Wyles, Ngwenya, Petri, MacDonald and Johnson. The players from American Samoa were really just filling in rather than there because they are the best going.

Also, given the USA´s developing rugby structure which already has professional Rugby Sevens contracted players any loss will be smaller than gains. There are centres in place, great facilities for a tier two side. American Samoa could follow Fiji, Samoa and Tonga and make the World Cup, maybe soon. Should it happen it would mean lots of club players in New Zealand would be used.

Smartcooky

When Am. Samoa have their next test (their first) they´ll be added and given the ranking of 40.00

 

[welshglory]

Actually i kind of take back what i said. There are probably plenty of Northern Irishmen who would like a Northern Ireland rugby team. Perhaps in 10 years time when/if rugby continues to grow.

 

[Melhor Time]

Actually i kind of take back what i said. There are probably plenty of Northern Irishmen who would like a Northern Ireland rugby team. Perhaps in 10 years time when/if rugby continues to grow.

If the 6N can give Georgia more games - similar to Argentina playing Uruguay, Chile and Brazil then things could really be shaken up. Georgia are a heck of a lot better than the three mentioned South American teams. 15-6 vs Scotland in the World Cup is pretty clear that things have to to change. Georgia are the new Argentina - i.e. a team with no competition.

A Euro competition could work and I think Northern Ireland would get the green light surely. 10 teams in two pools with the top two advancing to the final and the second and third playing Semi Finals. Have it every four years. USA IRB World Rankings to distribute the pools. The top three from the ENC Qualify.

Pool A - England, Northern Ireland, Rep. of Ireland, Russia, Italy
Pool B - France, Georgia, Romania, Scotland, Wales

 

[Feicarsinn]

This is humorous.

 

[welshglory]

And by that time Spain, Portugal, Belgium or Ukraine could have improved a lot as well

 

[rusty_lock]

If their players capped by the US are allowed to play for them, so would Jerome Kaino...

Right, I don't think that they would be allowed to use players already capped by other countries. In the article it did state that USA rugby was involved with the discussions regarding "player eligibility" I would think that that meant that the USA was able to protect players they had already capped and perhaps players already in their system (ie. U20 or U17)

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I admit to knowing little of both the American Samoa and the Northern Ireland situations, but I think they're totally different. Northern Irish players, afaik, play for Ireland, not for some sort of UK team. They'd have every right to their own union, but chose once the Republic became independent, to remain in the IRFU. Nowadays they have no structure whatsoever, and the whole of Northern Ireland is included in the Ulster region.
The fact that IRFU does not represent a nation or country is quite odd, but I don't see that changing anytime soon (never heard about anyone wanting it to happen either).

 

[rusty_lock]

Realistically, Rugby is virtually non-existent in American Samoa, which is dominated by Gridiron Football and Baseball. USA Rugby tends to recruit players from Gridiron Football.

American Samoa isn't even on the rankings list, and I have no record of them ever playing an official test! AFAIK they have played unofficial matches v Cook Islands, Niue, Wallis & Fortuna, Tahiti and New Caledonia.

Well I suspect that they did not play any official tests because because they were not an official Union recognized by the IRB and all their games would have been considered "friendlies" As I understand it, their is a fair bit of immigration back and forth between Western Samoa and American Samoa. It would be interesting to see, if their was an aggressive recruitment policy from Western Samoa, what this new team could do in 5 or 6 years

 

[Cave Dweller]

Yet Northern Ireland and American Samoa have football teams recognized by FIFA

 

[rusty_lock]

This is humorous.

I agree LOL

Northern Ireland is completely different than American Samoa