Apia Maroons - Auckland

Lakapi Samoa Names Manu Samoa and Manusina Squads for Dubai SVNS 3

(Press Release) Lakapi Samoa has officially announced the selected squads for Manu Samoa Sevens and Manusina Sevens ahead of the upcoming HSBC SVNS 3 tournament in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, scheduled for 17–18 January 2026.

The Dubai leg marks a critical opening stage of the 2026 international sevens calendar and will play a decisive role in determining progression into the next phase of the series, SVNS 2. For both Samoan teams, the tournament provides a valuable platform to test combinations, build squad depth, and reaffirm Samoa’s strong presence on the world sevens stage.

Lakapi Samoa Chief Executive Officer Seumanu Douglas Ngau Chun said the selections reflect a deliberate balance between experience and emerging talent.

“These squads represent the depth of sevens rugby in Samoa,” he said. “We are seeing strong pathways from our local clubs into the national setup, and Dubai is an important platform for our athletes to gain high-performance exposure. I am confident that both Manu Samoa Sevens and Manusina Sevens will compete with pride, discipline, and the Samoan spirit as they represent the nation internationally.”

Manu Samoa Sevens Head Coach Matamua Junior Salima described the Dubai tournament as a key test for his squad as they continue to build cohesion and consistency.

“Our focus has been on work rate, ex*****on, and trust in our systems,” Salima said. “Dubai will challenge us physically and mentally, but this group has shown strong commitment in preparation. We have a mix of experienced players and debutants who have earned their opportunity, and the expectation is that they play fearless rugby and uphold the Manu Samoa Sevens jersey with pride.”

Manusina Sevens Head Coach Filoi Eneliko echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the importance of the tournament in measuring progress and driving results.

“Dubai is an important opportunity for us to measure our progress and push for results,” Eneliko said. “The players understand what is required, and we are committed to performances that move Manusina Sevens forward in this competition.”

Several players across both squads are set to make their HSBC SVNS Series debuts, underscoring Lakapi Samoa’s continued commitment to developing future international talent. With advancement into SVNS 2 firmly in sight, both teams head into Dubai focused on delivering strong, disciplined performances.

Lakapi Samoa has also acknowledged and thanked its partners, sponsors, clubs, and supporters for their ongoing support of Samoan rugby as the national sevens programmes continue their international campaign.

📸Lakapi Samoa.

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Faatalofa atu i lenei a*o Sapati viia ai la lo tatou matai ile lagi I lona alofa ma lona agalelei iai tatou uma.ua laga se leo o lenei kalapu e momoli atu le faafetai faafetai tele i lau Afioga ile Peresitene ole tatou Auckland Samoa Rugby union faapea board members le failautusi ma le tatou teu oloa.mo le po matagofie agapo e tusa ai ma le tatou prize giving faamalo atu foi i au uma sa maua faailoga mo lenei tausaga faafetai atu foi i fanau ale failautusi faapea le atalii ole teutupe mo le fesoa*oani malosi ina ia tau le tatou faamoemoe matagofie mea uma faapea le mea ai taumafa ose tasi nei o prize giving us sili atu i isi prize giving sa tatou au ai i a*o ua mavae .mo le tatou au filifilia 7s sa tau ave ina le tatou Auckland Samoa ile tournament sa faia le i Te Puke malo taaalo lea sa tatou siamupigi mai ai le bowl.mo le silafia e $1500 le tupe sa tuuina e fesoa*oani mo le tatou 7s lea.faamalo atu i Manager's Coaches ia faapea le ta'ita'i malaga.e talitonu ana lava se taimi e sauni lelei ai e sure a siamu tatou ia ose faafetai atu lena mai lenei kalakpu vaivai soifua

A special shout out and thank you to Gordon Tietjens for coming through and donating our Auckland Samoa 7s team polo shirts from his brand Legend Apparel. Privileged to have a great sporting legend come through to bless our team with his apparel and say a few encouraging words