We now have a 32-player Samoa Rugby World Cup squad, with another participant nonetheless to be named.

Seilala Mapusua‘s aspect are the primary to call their official squad for the event, and there are some attention-grabbing additions – Chris Vui and Michael Alaalatoa have been named co-captains, whereas three former All Blacks have made the lower.

Fly-half Lima Sopoaga, back-rower Steven Luatua and prop Charlie Faumuina are within the ultimate checklist. Christian Lealiifano – who represented the Wallabies on the final World Cup, in Japan – has change into a daily fixture at fly-half too, and he’s within the squad.

Samoa’s golden days have been within the Nineteen Nineties as they made it to the quarter-final levels in each the 1991 and 1995 World Cups.

Try who made the Samoa Rugby World Cup squad beneath – and see the complete checklist of Rugby World Cup fixtures right here.

Samoa Rugby World Cup squad 2023

Nigel Ah wong (centre, Moana Pasifika)
Michael Alaalatoa (prop, Leinster)
Brian Alainu’uese (lock, Toulon)
Paul Alo-Emile (prop, Stade Français)
So’otala Fa’aso’o (back-row, unattached)
Miracle Fai’ilagi (lock, Moana Pasifika)
Charlie Faumuina (prop, Toulouse)
Ed Fidow (wing, Rugby New York Ironworkers)
Neria Foma’i (wing, Moana Pasifika)
Ben Lam (wing, Montpellier)
Seilala Lam (hooker, Perpignan)
Jordan Lay (prop, Blues)
Christian Leali’ifano (fly-half/centre, Moana Pasifika)
Fritz Lee (No 8, Clermont)
Alai D’Angelo Leuila (fly-half, Moana Pasifika)
Steven Luatua (back-row, Bristol Bears)
Sama Malolo (hooker, San Diego Legion)
Tumua Manu (centre, Pau)
Melani Matavao (scrum-half, Samoa Sevens)
Theo McFarland (lock, Saracens)
Alamanda Motuga (back-row, Moana Pasifika)
Duncan Paia’aua (centre, Toulon)
Taleni Seu (back-row, Toyota)
UJ Seuteni (centre, La Rochelle)
Sam Slade (back-row, Moana Pasifika)
Lima Sopoaga (fly-half, Shimizu Blue Sharks)
Jordan Taufua (back-row, Lyon)
Jonathan Taumateine (scrum-half, Moana Pasifika)
Danny Toala (centre, Moana Pasifika)
Luteru Tolai (hooker, Moana Pasifika)
Chris Vui (lock, Bristol Bears)

*another participant to come back

Samoa Rugby World Cup Pool

Samoa have been drawn in Rugby World Cup Pool D alongside England, Japan, Argentina and Chile.

Sat 16 Sept Samoa v Chile  (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)

Fri 22 Sept Samoa v Argentina (Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne)

Thu 28 Sept Samoa v Japan (Stade de Pierre Toulouse, Toulouse)

Sat 7 Oct Samoa v England (Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille)

The knockout levels will observe the identical format as earlier years, with groups from Swimming pools A and B then Swimming pools C and D assembly within the quarter-finals. So Wales and England might meet within the final eight, for instance.

QF1 – Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D
QF2 – Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A
QF3 – Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C
QF4 – Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B

Then the semi-finals would be the Winner of QF1 v Winner QF2 and the Winner QF3 v Winner QF4.

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