{"id":277125,"date":"2025-11-11T07:11:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T07:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/277125\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T07:11:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T07:11:09","slug":"74-test-wallaby-set-for-manu-samoa-debut-in-crucial-world-cup-qualifier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/277125\/","title":{"rendered":"74-Test Wallaby set for Manu Samoa debut in crucial World Cup qualifier"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Former Wallabies prop Scott Sio<\/a> will debut for Manu Samoa<\/a> in this week\u2019s mammoth showdown with Namibia, as the Pacific Island nation looks to take a major step towards qualifying for the 2027 Men\u2019s Rugby World Cup<\/a> in Australia.<\/p>\n

In the opening weekend of the Final Qualification Tournament at Dubai\u2019s The Sevens Stadium, Samoa recorded a relentless 48-10 win over Brazil. World Cup regulars Namibia<\/a> fell to Belgium<\/a> in a stunning 22-15 upset, meaning they must beat Samoa to stay in the qualification race.<\/p>\n

Samoa have made eight changes to their starting side for this Test on Thursday evening, including the selection of 74-Test Wallaby Sio at loosehead prop. Sio last wore Australia\u2019s gold jersey against New Zealand<\/a> in September 2022, recently becoming eligible to play for Samoa.<\/p>\n

Catch this week\u2019s games on RugbyPass TV.<\/a><\/p>\n

The 2015 Rugby World Cup runner-up will pack down alongside Sama Malolo<\/a> and Tietie Tuimauga<\/a> in the front row, with Tuimauga retaining his place in the First XV. Taleni Seu<\/a> and captain Theo McFarland<\/a> come into the run-on side as the second-row pairing.<\/p>\n

McFarland shifts from blindside flanker to No. 5 lock, which has seen Moana Pasifika<\/a> and Hawke\u2019s Bay enforcer Miracle Faiilagi<\/a> come into the side. Alamanda Motuga<\/a> and Iakopo Mapu are the other starting loose forwards, lining up at openside and No. 8 respectively.<\/p>\n

Coach Tusi Pisi<\/a> has retained the reliable halves pairing of Jonathan Taumateine<\/a> and Rodney Iona<\/a>, while Lalomilo Lalomilo<\/a> is promoted from the bench, starting at inside centre. Lalomilo will link up with Tumua Manu<\/a> in the midfield, who moves from inside to outside centre.<\/p>\n

Vaafauese Apelu Maliko lines up on the left wing yet again, after scoring a try against Brazil. Right winger Latrell Ah Kiong and fullback Jacob Umaga<\/a> have also been named to start in an unchanged outside backs combination.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just talked about it there [in the huddle after the game],\u201d coach Pisi said after the win over Brazil.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just need to savour the feeling and make sure we have our feet with the now and enjoy it, and then move on to the next game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Samoa\u2019s second match at the Final Qualification Tournament will kick off at 7:30 pm (Dubai time) on Thursday evening, or 4:30 am on Friday morning in Samoa.<\/p>\n

Manu Samoa side to take on Namibia<\/p>\n

1. Scott Sio*<\/p>\n

2. Sama Malolo<\/p>\n

3. Tietie Tuimauga<\/p>\n

4. Taleni Seu<\/p>\n

5. Theo McFarland (c)<\/p>\n

6. Miracle Faiilagi<\/p>\n

7. Alamanda Motuga<\/p>\n

8. Iakopo Mapu<\/p>\n

9. Jonathan Taumateine<\/p>\n

10. Rodney Iona<\/p>\n

11. Vaafauese Apelu Maliko<\/p>\n

12. Lalomilo Lalomilo<\/p>\n

13. Tumua Manu<\/p>\n

14. Latrell Ah Kiong<\/p>\n

15. Jacob Umaga<\/p>\n

Replacements<\/p>\n

16. Millenium Sanerivi<\/p>\n

17. Titi Lamositele<\/p>\n

18. Michael Alaalatoa<\/p>\n

19. Ben Petaia Nee<\/p>\n

20. Abraham Papali\u2019i<\/p>\n

21. Connor Tupa\u2018i<\/p>\n

22. Faleto\u2018i Peni<\/p>\n

23. Tuna Tuitama*<\/p>\n

*Potential debutant<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Former Wallabies prop Scott Sio will debut for Manu Samoa in this week\u2019s mammoth showdown with Namibia, as…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":277126,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-277125","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-rugby","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=277125"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277125\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/277126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=277125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=277125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=277125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}