Manu Samoa their own worst enemies in hunt for 80-minute performance

By Thomas Airey 22 November 2018, 12:00AM

Manu Samoa captain Jack Lam said his team have been their own worst enemies on the Northern Hemisphere Tour so far.

They go into their final game against Spain on Sunday morning after back-to-back losses to USA and Georgia.

Lam said after reviewing the games the team feels they were the cause of their own undoing.

“The positives are that it’s all in our control and we are learning from our mistakes.

“We showed in patches of both games we are capable of winning, we just have to do it for 80 minutes.”

He said that has been the challenge laid down in training this week.

“We have spoken about the mental side, which we haven’t addressed in this team in the past.”

Lam feels the team are starting to build a winning culture, from which the results will come.

“Hopefully we will start to see the fruits of our growth as a team starting this week and building toward the next campaign. 

“I feel we aren’t far off from clicking and once we do we will start putting the pride and fear back in the jersey.”

Lam said he has enjoyed leading the team in the absence of captain Chris Vui.

“It has been a huge honour and easy for me to do my role and just play my normal game.

“With the help of our senior group, experienced guys like Tusi Pisi, Piula Fa’asalele, Logovi’i Mulipola, Ofisa Treviranus and co.

“They are all captains and it is just a (c) next to my name.”

Tighthead prop Paul Alo-Emile has left the team after being ruled out of the final game with concussion.

Alo-Emile went off before halftime of the Georgia game, crippling a Samoan scrum which had been dominant until then.

“We have to adjust and I’m sure whoever plays will step up to the benchmark set by Paulie, and the boys will rally around to help,” Lam said

Manu Samoa were disappointed to lose last week having executed well on the key learnings from the USA game, he said.

“It was down to a lack of experience as a team to adjust to the intensity of the second half which Georgia brought and not sticking to our game plan.”

By Thomas Airey 22 November 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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