June

20 06 June 2016 Sports
Australia Samoa Newspaper
Calling in the Coaches
It has been a long time coming for
Coach Alama Ieremia, but the wait is finally
over. The wider squad has arrived
and management has been brought together
in what is a very exciting time for Manu Samoa
and the Samoan Rugby Union.
Darryl Gibson, Head Coach of the Waratahs
Super rugby team and a long time friend
of Ieremia was asked to join management
earlier in the year. He jumped at the opportunity
to come on board and has added a
high level of technical expertise to the coaching
group. Another newcomer to the Manu
coaching staff is current Hurricanes forwards
coach Richard Watt. Richard has coached
together with Ieremia in Wellington coming
through the age grades and then together
at the Hurricanes from 2011 – 2014. The
wealth of experience and knowledge that Ieremia,
Gibson and Watt bring to the table is
understated.
In a recent interview coach Ieremia explains
the processes of selecting his coaching
staff.
“I had a vision for Manu Samoa rugby
moving forward. Part of that vision is to create
a new era for the Manu Samoa team
through players and expertise coaching. The
key components of bringing that vision alive
were to bring the best coaches into the fold.”
Ieremia and Gibson played together for
the All Blacks in 1999. They also played
against each other at the Hurricanes and
Crusaders in Super Rugby as well as Wellington
and Canterbury during the NPC seasons
from 1993-2000. Ieremia’s last NPC game
for Wellington was against Canterbury, captained
by Darryl Gibson.
“I’ll always remember that game. To take
the Air NZ Cup from Gibbo was a bitter sweet
moment in my career. Watty missed selection
the week before the final in 2000 and sent a
motivational letter that was read to the team
before kick-off. I have no doubt it made a difference.
It’s great for the three of us to be
reunited 16 years later. I’m humbled by the
fact that Watty and Gibbo decided to come
and help set foundations for the future of
Manu Samoa.”
Former Manu Samoa player, now technical
assistant Kane Thompson and Set Piece
coach Grant Henson have also been added
to the coaching line up. This will be Thompson’s
first time in the coaching arena, his
experience playing along-side many of the
players will no doubt benefit the team. Grant
Henson is a centurion for Counties Manukau
and brings to the team a wealth of knowledge
at the set piece.
When asked what he believes this group
of coaches will bring to the future of Samoan
Rugby, Ieremia stated.
“With such steep history and tradition
of Manu Samoa we all understand the non
negotiables around representing the jersey.
Our role is to coach and enhance the Manu
Samoa jersey. Also its important to leave the
Manu Samoa team in a successful position
at the conclusion of our tenor. My personal
goal is to ensure that the team plays to its
potential. We have enough challenges as it
is, those challenges can become opportunities
if we work hard, take control of what
we can and make it work for us. Our identity
through that process will hopefully be obvious
through our play and actions.”
COACHES:
Alama Ieremia – Head Coach
Darryl Gibson – Technical Advisor
Richard Watt – Forwards Coach
Grant Henson – Set Piece Coach
Kane Thompson – Technical Advisor
David Edgar – Strenth and Conditioning
Coach
Technical Advisor Darryl Gibson is currently
Head Coach at the NSW Warratahs. This is
the first time that a head coach of a Super
Rugby team has been named amongst the
Manu Samoa coaching staff.
Richard Watt is currently an assistant
coach at the Hurricanes. He is renowned for
his technical skill at the line out.
Grant Henson works as the set piece
coach at Counties Manukau and was one of
very few players to represent Counties in over
100 games of NPC.
Ex Manu Samoa representative Kane
Thompson comes into the coaching arena as
technical advisor.
Samoa Coach: Alama Ieremia
Samoa Cptn: David Lemi
Samoa VCptn: Faatiga Lemalu
Georgia Coach: Milton Haig
Georgia Captain: Shalva Sutiashvili
England rugby rookie Ben Te’o given secret initiation by new team
Source : www.foxsports.com.au
What was said and done
remains a secret but
England rugby new boy
Ben Te’o has been welcomed by
his teammates in a behind-closeddoors
initiation.
The squad made the former NRL
star welcome at the weekend during
the team’s camp on the Gold
Coast before Saturday’s opening
Test against Australia in Brisbane.
Te’o is thought to be a strong
chance to make his debut in the
centres for the tourists at Suncorp
Stadium.
It’s a remarkable rise for the
29-year-old, who quit rugby league
in 2014 to play rugby union in
Ireland for Leinster and is yet to
feature for his new English club,
Worcester.
England back-rower James
Haskell said the bonding session
had made him more aware of Te’o’s
sporting pedigree.
“It was amazing to see his
achievements,” Haskell said.
“I knew of Ben but I didn’t really
know that he’d won three State of
Origin titles and everything else like
that.
“I didn’t know he’d played with
(Sam) Burgess as well and that
kind of stuff, played with Greg Inglis,
so it was really cool for me to
have a chat with him and that was
the whole idea — to spark up a bit
of conversation because some
people just don’t volunteer that information.
“It was good to know what he’s
about.” Te’o sat out Monday’s training
session due to an unspecified
medical reason.
The former South Sydney and
Brisbane Broncos star is expected
to return to trainingon Tuesday and
while defence coach Paul Gustard
says no decision has been made,
he’s confident Te’o is ready to go if
picked.
“He’s got a calmness about
him,” Gustard said.
“You can see this guy’s played
top-level rugby and he’s comfortable
with the ball in his hand.”
Meanwhile, Wallabies defence
coach Nathan Grey paid tribute to
Te’o but believed the convert could
be found out on the international
stage due to his limited time in the
code.
“He’s a great talent. He provides
a really good strong ball carrying
centre,” Grey said.
“He’s certainly on the sharper
end of the queue in terms of being
across what his strengths and
weaknesses are.”
Asked what his weakness was,
Grey said: “His time in the game.
“He’s been playing for a number
of years now, but obviously taking
that step up and playing international
level is a big step.
“Everything gets tested at a
higher level — you’ve got less time,
less space.
“Your skills and execution under
pressure is the hardest thing to replicate.”
Grey baulked when asked if they
would target Te’o.
“You are soothsaying a little bit
there,” he said.
“Guys can step up to that level
pretty quickly.”
Asked if the Wallabies were preparing
for Te’o to play, Grey said:
“We are preparing for everyone.”
Originally published as Te’o’s secret
England rugby initiation