Manuma Samoa

Rugby team

Manuma Samoa
Union website

Union	Samoa Rugby Union^[1]
Founded	2019 (Kagifa Samoa) 2020 (Manuma Samoa)
Ground(s)	Apia Park (Cap: 12,000)
Coach(es)	Brian Lima
Captain(s)	Patrick Fa’apale
League(s)	Global Rapid Rugby
www.manusamoa.com

Manuma Samoa is a professional rugby union team based in Samoa that plays in the Global Rapid Rugby competition.^[1] Founded in 2019 as Kagifa Samoa, the team is backed by the Samoa Rugby Union.^[2]

Name and logo

Manuma, in Samoan, refers to the many-colored fruit dove (Ptilinopus perousii), a small dove found in that country.^[3]^[4] The team logo includes the head of a manuma bird in profile beneath the Southern Cross in white on a blue background.^[1]

History

Kagifa Samoa

The Kagifa Samoa team was established in 2019 and competed in the Pacific Showcase series during the inaugural year of Global Rapid Rugby.^[2]^[5] In Samoan colloquial speech, a kagifa refers to an enormous wild fish or shark that wreaked havoc in Polynesian mythical legend,^[2] and which is more formally referred to as tanifa.

The team was backed by Pacific Sports International in partnership with the Samoa Rugby Union.^[2] The 2019 squad included Samoan-based players,^[2]^[6] Tongans, Fijians and New Zealanders as well as Samoan-eligible players based in Australia and New Zealand.^[6]^[7]^[8]

Manuma Samoa

The team was renamed Manuma Samoa with the backing of the Samoa Rugby Union for the 2020 Rapid Rugby season.^[9]

Home field

Manuma Samoa plays home games at Apia Park Stadium. Due to construction at Apia Park in 2019 for the Pacific Games,^[10]^[11] the team's home matches for the Rapid Rugby Pacific Showcase were moved to Pukekohe Stadium in Auckland and Ballymore Stadium in Brisbane.^[12]

Squad

The Manuma squad for the 2020 Global Rapid Rugby season:

Manuma Samoa – 2020 Global Rapid Rugby ^[A]

Hooker Afa Aiono Jenny Taateo Frank Tupuola Prop Steve Eliu Malaefono Gaupule Saini Iese Alo Mauinatu Sapani Penaia Noel Sanft Alofaaga Sao Frank Sio Siliva Tapu Brook Toomalatai Lock Miracle Faiilagi Ioelu Kitiona Theodore McFarland Kerisimasi Tiumalu Steve Tuiuli Aukusitino Ulugia Backrow Nissan Aitui Joe Faleafaga Pao Lauama Iakopo Mapu Anzac Pago Tusi Tavita Elia Tolufale Tufa Seiuli Setu Sikoti Liahona Vaegaau	Scrum-half Pupi Ah See Melani Matavao Collin Palamo Dave Puleiala Ionatana Tino Vaimoli Toniga First five Alosio Afa Patrick Fa’apale (c) Joyner Key Jordan Muese Centre Ueta Avaoletuna Malu Fagalele Faleniu Iosi Samu Iosua Chris Leota Faaaliliu Mitivao Johnny Samuelu Frank Tato Manuia Tiumalu Sooalofaina Tamilo Tulolo Tulolo Wing Ivana Eli Mathew Evile Filimoni Filimoni Dennis Maresa Larry Mitivao Papu Wulf Fullback Malu Falaniko Henry Wulf
Notes: ^ Initial squad was named in November 2019.^[1]
Bold denotes player is internationally capped. (c) Denotes team captain. ¹ denotes marquee player.

Records

Season standings

Global Rapid Rugby

Year	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	BP	Pts	Play-offs
2019 ^*	3rd	4	0	0	4	96	184	−288	3	3	—

Notes:

^* 2019 Rapid Rugby matches in the Pacific showcase.

Head coaches

Darryl Suasua (2019) ^[10]
Brian Lima (2020) ^[13]

Captains

Leon Fukofuka (2019) ^[14]
Patrick Fa’apale (2020)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Airey, Thomas (14 November 2019). "Manuma Samoa team named for Global Rapid Rugby season". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Keni Lesa, Mata'afa (9 April 2019). "Samoa Rugby Union sanctions Kagifa Samoa as it eyes $1.8 million". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 10 April 2019.
^ "Manuma". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Gillespie, Rosemary (2009). Encyclopedia of islands. p. 800. ISBN 9780520256491.
^ "Fijian Latui set for elite international competition". Fiji Sun. 1 March 2019. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Kagifa Samoa Squad". Kagifa Samoa Facebook. 15 May 2019. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
^ Airey, Thomas (15 May 2019). "Kagifa Samoa making debut this week". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019.
^ "Global Rapid Rugby". Rugby Asia 24/7. 1 March 2019. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019.
^ "Five challengers for Rapid Rugby title". Western Force. 14 November 2019. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019.
^ ^a ^b Manukia, Matt (9 April 2019). "Samoan franchise given green light for breakaway rugby tournament". One News.
^ Tautua-Fanene, Deidre (19 September 2018). "Contract awarded for Apia Park, Aquatic Center". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019.
^ "Rapid Rugby 2019 Schedule on show" (PDF) (Press release). Global Rapid Rugby. 1 March 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 March 2019.
^ "Manuma Samoa". Rapid Rugby. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
^ "Dress rehearsal done". Rapid Rugby. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019.