Hutt Valley duo Peleseuma and Mamea in line for Samoa international debuts

Above: Ope Peleseuma playing for the Wellington Samoans recently, one of five new names in Alama Ieremia’s Manu Samoa international squad for Tests in November. Photo by Hugh Pretorius.

Wellington and Hutt Valley players Ope Peleseuma and Genesis Mamea are two of five new players recently selected in the Manu Samoa squad to play upcoming Tests against France, Georgia and Canada in November.

Former Hurricanes and current Hutt Old Boys Marist midfielder Peleseuma has recently been playing for the Samoa A side in the World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge series in Uruguay, putting his hand up for selection with a couple of dynamic performances.

Former Wainuiomata Jubilee Cup power forward Mamea has been playing in Europe for the past three seasons and currently plays for Perpignan in France.

The three other new names in the squad are Samoan based prop Nephi Leatigaga who has played club rugby in Auckland and Counties Manukua, North Harbour lock Chris Vui who played well in his side’s semi-final win over Wellington last Saturday and Hisa Sasagi who spent time in Wellington this year on a Wider Training Group contract with the Hurricanes and who played seven matches for Tawa.

Poneke and Wellington Lions flanker Greg Foe deservedly makes the squad.

Other former Wellington club rugby players in the 33-man squad include Anthony Perenise (Northern United), Manu Leiataua (Oriental-Rongotai), Jack Lam (Oriental-Rongotai), Danny Tusitala (Old Boys University) and Rey Lee-Lo (Marist St Pat’s). Several other former well-known former NPC players from around New Zealand complete the group.

Several players are injured or unavailable, including Motu Matu’u (Oriental-Rongotai), TJ Ioane (Old Boys-University), Alapati Leiua (Northern United) and Faifili Levave (Northern United).

Alama Ieremia (Wests Roosters) is the Head Coach.

The squad assembles in London at the end of this week, ahead of Tests against France on 12 November Georgia on 19 November and Canada on 25 November.

The squad is:

* denotes new cap.

1. Sakaria Taulafo - Stade Francais (FRANCE)
2. Census Johnston - Toulouse (FRANCE)
3. Logovii Mulipola - Leicester (UK)
4. Anthony Perenise - Bristol (UK)
5. Nephi Leatigaga* - Samoa A (SAMOA)
6. Yoshishisa Sasagi* - Hurricanes (NZ)
7. Maatulimanu Leiataua - Bayonne (FRANCE)
8. Wayne Ole Avei - Bordeaux (FRANCE)
9. Elia Elia - Canterbury (NZ)
10. Teofilo Paulo - Treviso (ITALY)
11. Faatiga Lemalu - Sunwolves (JAPAN)
12. Piula Faasalele - Toulouse (FRANCE)
13. Chris Vui* - North Harbour (NZ)
14. Jack Lam - Bristol (UK)
15. Alafoti Faosiliva - Worcester (UK)
16. Gregory Foe - Wellington (NZ)
17. Oneone Faafou - Samoa A (SAMOA)
18. Genesis Mamea* - Perpignan (FRANCE)
19. Kahn Fotualii - Bath (UK)
20. Pelefofoga Cowley - Waikato (NZ)
21. Danny Tusitala - Samoa A (SAMOA)
22. D'Angelo Leuila - Southland (NZ)
23. Patrick Faapale - Samoa A (SAMOA)
24. Reynold Lee--Lo - Cardiff Blues (WALES)
25. Paul Williams - Stade Francais (FRANCE)
26. George Pisi - Northampton Saints (UK)
27. Winston Stanley - Halequins (UK)
28. Opetera Peleseuma* - Samoa A (SAMOA)
29. David Lemi - Bristol (UK)
30. Ken Pisi - Northampton (UK)
31. Ahsee Tuala - Northampton (UK)
32. Paul Perez - Toulouse (FRANCE)
33. Albert Nikoro - Western Force (AUSTRALIA)

Injured:
Paul Alo-Emile (Stade Francais, FRANCE)
Sam Aiono (Counties, NZ)
Motu Matu'u (Gloucester, UK)
TJ Ioane (Sale, UK)
Vavae Tuilagi (Carcassonne, FRANCE)
Tusi Pisi (Bristol, UK)
Alapati Leiua (Wasps, UK)
Faatoina Autagavaia (Nevers, FRANCE)

Unavailable:
Tim Nanai-Williams (Ricoh, JAPAN)
Faifili Levave (Mitsubishi, JAPAN)