By Staff Writer
Samoan French community showing full support for their Manu Samoa rugby star guests in a get together with the home team in France for the World Rugby Cup
The fanatical Manu Samoa home fans are likely to be gratefully surprised at reports of a Samoan community turning up in France to host the national side a few days ago.
The community made the team feel at home on their way to the Rugby World Cup that kicks off this Friday, Sept 8 in France.
Coach Vaovasamanaia Seilala Mapusua alerted the team fans especially at home, on an online twitter note of appreciation, to the generous show of support and loyalty by the French Samoans.
“Fa’afetai tele lava to our Samoan community in Peripigan, France for looking after us. Love my people,” Coach Vaovasamanaia twittered.
The Manu Samoa is set to play its first match a week into the start of the world tournament after the opening clash towards the end of the week between host country France and New Zealand.
Samoa is pooled against two of the rugby world heavyweights in England and Argentina with Chile and Japan making up the rest of the teams in the pool round.
Chile is up first in the Manu Samoa schedule of pool matches on Saturday 16 Sept, Argentina on Friday 22 Sept, Japan on Thursday 28 September and England on 7 October.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup will be played across nine stadiums in nine cities in France. The final will be played at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis (Paris).
There are 20 teams vying for the rare honour of being the overall world rugby champion by winning the cup.
The teams are grouped into 4 pools:
Pool A : New Zealand, France, Italy, Uruguay, Namibia
Pool B : South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Tonga, Romania
Pool C : Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Portugal
Pool D : England, Japan, Argentina, Samoa, Chile