The Manusima 7s team in a scrimmage session with the Manu Samoa 7s team in Apia preparing for the World Sevens Challenger Series tournament in Cape Town next weekend. Photo: Manu Samoa
Manusina Sevens head coach Filoi Eneliko knows her team has not had enough tournaments to compete in as they build up for the World Sevens Challenger Series in Cape Town next weekend.
Added to that, is their pool of local players to select from is limited, and they have had to look abroad to get extra hands.
Eneliko told the Samoa Observer in Apia, before the team left for Auckland, that the lack of warm-up games and players were the biggest challenge for them, as they work on competing for a top-four finish in the three-tournament series.
To qualify for a spot in the World Rugby Sevens promotion-relegation play-offs in May, Manusima must finish in the top four at the end of the three tournaments.
If they do, they will then get to meet the bottom four women's teams from the current HSBC World Sevens series, with the top four after that promotion relegation event in Los Angeles becoming one of the 12 core teams in the HSBC SVNS series.
The team is spending a week in Auckland to round off their preparations before flying off this weekend to Cape Town, where the first series tournament will be held next weekend.
In South Africa, the Samoan women's team will meet Kenya and Poland in pool play.
Despite the challenge, Eneliko said she has faith in her players.
"The hardest part of the selection is not enough pool of players to select from, at the moment there are not so many girls in the squad," she told Samoa Observer.
"We had 11 players, and some of our key players were injured. So it's been tough trying to find replacements. Which is why we have opted to look for a replacement overseas.
"Preparations are going well and running smoothly."
The Manusima 7s team in a scrimmage session with the Manu Samoa 7s team in Apia preparing for the World Sevens Challenger Series tournament in Cape Town next weekend. Photo: Manu Samoa
The last time the team played together was at the Oceania Sevens tournament in Honiara late last year.
They have had some scrimmages with the Manu Samoa 7s team, who will also be competing in the Challenger series.
"There were no tournaments and no games where they can play together to prepare for this because we may have the fitness every time we have our runs but the fitness when it's contact, one to two tackles and they'll run out of breath.
"So, yes, it has a huge impact on our team."
The Manusima now have a squad of 14 players.
They will meet Kenya first up in their opening pool game on Saturday night, 1 March, at the Athlone Sports Stadium in Cape Town, before taking on Poland early Sunday morning.
Manusina Sevens: Maria Nikolao, Davina Lasini, Joanna Faanene Lolo, Faaaloalo Luafitu, Fogamanono Tusiga, Fofoga Vaa, Saelua Leaula (c), Siluando Lafai, Linda Fiafia, Machiko Silila Fepuleai, Drenna Falaniko, Leutu Iefata Suaesi, Araisa Isamaeli Fetaiai, and Manaia-Rose Afuie.
