Jazz Tevaga, Ata Mariota and Jaydn Su’A will all be forced to miss Sunday’s Pacific Championships clash with Tonga, potentially forcing the nation into needing fresh faces to name a team.
The trio all suffered concussions on Sunday during a loss to New Zealand, with Samoa now in danger of missing the final of the tournament even if they do beat Tonga.
With the three players missing under mandatory concussion standown rules, Samoa will also be sweating on Terrell May returning after he was a late absence from the game against New Zealand.
His absence, as well as the other injuries, saw Payne Haas play an enormous 80 minutes during the game.
Benaiah Ioleu, who was 18th man for Samoa in the opening match of the tournament, will almost certainly come into the side for the game against Tonga, while several other faces could be needed, although it’s unclear who at this stage.
Tevaga started at hooker for the game, while Su’A started in the second row, and Mariota came from the bench.
If May is fit, he will almost certainly come into the front row alongside Haas with Josh Papalii dropping back to the bench and claiming the spot left vacant by Mariota.
Ioelu could start at hooker, or come from the bench with Chanel Harris-Tavita wearing the number nine in place of Tevaga, with Simi Sasagi likely starting in the second row, leaving a vacant bench spot which could be claimed by a Samoa-eligible second-rower like Shawn Blore or Connelly Lemuelu.
“We’ve got a lot of blood and a lot of stitches going on in the room, as well as some bruises,” Samoan coach Ben Gardiner said during his post-match press conference.
“But that is part and parcel of a big game, with that sort of physicality and ball-in-play time.”
While Gardiner has not indicated names who could come into his squad, or the likely fitness of May, Samoa will likely need to make a call on Tuesday with teams for Week 2 matches – including Samoa against Tonga in Brisbane – to be named at 4pm (AEDT).