Manu Samoa and the RWC

[Hulk Hogan]

I've been watching Samoa play this year, watching them go from being rugby terminators to clinical rugby players like a yo-yo, and I was wondering, what do you think their chances of winning the world cup next year?

Say Australia and NZ drop the ball, which is entirely possible, Do you think Samoa would be able to win a world cup?

 

[Muzzy]

so much can happen in a year, a team can go from beating one time by 50 points to losing to them in the RWC a few months later so realistically its too early to call. i do think this is the best samoan team i've ever seen though, the Fiji vs Samoa game is gonna be crucial i'm definitely going to that one in eden park.

if samoa make the quarter finals they will likely play australia, i can actually see samoa or fiji beating australia by a great fluke, if they happen to get some good tries early on so its possible, if they win that game by a fluke they will either play england or france, seeing how samoa did against england yes i do think they could beat england in a semi final if the game happened to go their way, if they make the final, i'd guess it would probably be NZ who would meet them in the final unless some big upsets happened along the way. can i see samoa beating nz? no not in a million years, i think the samoa team is great and its been great to see the island teams bridging the gap with the 6 nations teams, but i can't see them winning the world cup yet. if there was a huge upset and argentina or south africa played NZ in the semi final and beat NZ, then yes i think its possible for samoa to beat argentina but idk about south africa, i think SA would thrash them. then again i actually thought Samoa would beat England in the 07 world cup and instead they got thrashed

 

[Feicarsinn]

I've been watching Samoa play this year, watching them go from being rugby terminators to clinical rugby players like a yo-yo, and I was wondering, what do you think their chances of winning the world cup next year?

Say Australia and NZ drop the ball, which is entirely possible, Do you think Samoa would be able to win a world cup?

No. Not a chance in a million years.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

Paddy Power are giving Samoa 750/1. If you genuinely believe they can do it go put at least 2 quid on it...

I won't be doing that though. Seems comparable to throwing 2 quid in the bin

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Personally I love the Wallabies more than anything, but I would love for a smaller nation like Samoa, Fiji, Tonga or Japan to win next year, It isn't exciting when you don't have wild cards that come in, Argentina winning would be better than Aus, NZ, SA, England or France.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Personally I love the Wallabies more than anything, but I would love for a smaller nation like Samoa, Fiji, Tonga or Japan to win next year, It isn't exciting when you don't have wild cards that come in, Argentina winning would be better than Aus, NZ, SA, England or France.

True, but it ain't gonna happen. Only the big five really have the potential to go all the way and it looks like that'll be the case for the foreseeable future. I'd love if Ireland would challenge for example, but I know we'll probably never win a WC.

 

[T-Rex]

Personally I love the Wallabies more than anything, but I would love for a smaller nation like Samoa, Fiji, Tonga or Japan to win next year, It isn't exciting when you don't have wild cards that come in, Argentina winning would be better than Aus, NZ, SA, England or France.

Their chances are pretty much nil. The only reason they have any sort of chance (realistic or not), is because they are going to be playing in the WC.

As for wanting to see a smaller nation win over your own nation, that's simply ridiculous.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Their chances are pretty much nil. The only reason they have any sort of chance (realistic or not), is because they are going to be playing in the WC.

As for wanting to see a smaller nation win over your own nation, that's simply ridiculous.

I suppose winning the WC must get kind of old after the second one .

 

[Shaggy]

No, they won't win, but the conditions should suit the Pacific Island teams, and they'll definitely have a lot of crowd support ...and Feic, well let you know if it gets old after the second time after we win next year

 

[Hulk Hogan]

I suppose winning the WC must get kind of old after the second one .

Yeah you get sick of winning, NZ should be sick of winning WC's by now..... oh wait , A smaller nation winning would do so much for the game, so boring with the same teams winning all the time.
And my Nation isn't really Australia, born in Russia you know, but their rugby team is about as challenging as the Colts team I played in this year.

 

[Sam Owen]

As for wanting to see a smaller nation win over your own nation, that's simply ridiculous.

New Zealand too is a smaller nation compared to the rest of the top 5.

No I dont think we'll win next years RWC but us Islanders (Fiji, Tonga) can give some other teams good games as we've proven before. I must say if we did win it then the Rugby world would have to be upside down but I would be wrapped.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Samoa currently look fantastic, George Stowers is doing a great job at 8, I personally will be taking two jerseys with me to NZ next year, My 2007 RWC wallabies jersey and this years Samoan jersey.

 

[Frank Dux]

I don't think so, but a semifinals isn't out of the question.

Samoa have improved a lot and are a lot more organized - probably due to the fact that before the Irish match, they had a week and half together, which is better than 3 days together before the Welsh test the same time last year. Also, just a look at the team line-up, and it looks a lot more solid than past years.

I'm keen to see who else will opt for Samoa as it gets nearer to the World Cup.

 

[Charles]

Not with a scrum like that...I agree with Frank Dux, a semi maybe...

 

[Peat]

How long will Samoa have together before the next world cup?

 

[Hulk Hogan]

I think that NZ billionaire who bankrolled them, will try and get the Samoans together for at least a month before the RWC.

 

[Peat]

I think that NZ billionaire who bankrolled them, will try and get the Samoans together for at least a month before the RWC.

That guy's a good bloke, can't remember his name but remember reading an article about him.

If Samoa can get all their best players together and really work on their familiarity with each other then I think they could shock people. There's some clear talent there. They could do an Argentina.

However, put bluntly, I think beating three top teams on the trot will be too much for them - I just can't see the World Cup.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Samoa is playing well actually but I think a semis spot is the best they could achieve. If they play the final I will also cheer for them .

 

[Frank Dux]

NZ or Irish guy?

I think the scrum has come a long way. Against England, the scrum was a lot better at the end with Johnston on. And against Ireland, it was very good.

The line-outs have been nothing less than a miracle. Whomever is teaching the line-outs must be the Mr Miyagi of line-outs - because this locking pair couldn't win anything for the last 3 years - and suddenly, they're winning all their line-out ball.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

NZ fella Sir Michael Fay.