Samoa have bolstered their hopes for an excellent World Cup campaign by selecting three former All Blacks and an experienced Wallabies playmaker.
Tighthead prop Charlie Faumuina, utility forward Steven Luatua and flyhalves Lima Sopoaga and Christian Leali’ifano were all included in Samoa’s World Cup training squad, named on Sunday.
Faumuina, Luatua and Sopoaga are all capped New Zealand internationals, while Leali’ifano earned 26 Test caps for Australia between 2013 and 2019.
All four players are able to represent Samoa due to World Rugby’s new regulations, which allow capped internationals to play for a second nation if they meet certain criteria, including at least three years passing their last Test match and having a direct relative in their second nation.
Leali’ifano last played for Australia at the 2019 World Cup, while Sopoaga and Faumuina have not been picked to play for the All Blacks since 2017 and Luatua has been based in England for the last seven years.
Tonga also used the new eligibility regulations to select former Wallabies Israel Folau and Adam Coleman and former All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa.
Samoa are in Pool D at the 2023 World Cup, alongside England, Japan, Argentina and Chile.
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Lima Sopoaga, Charlie Faumuina, Steven Luatua, Christian Leali’ifano & Titi Lamositele all switch allegiances!
Theo McFarland & So’otala Fa’aso’o also included.
A LOT of talent.
Samoa in Pool D with England, Argentina, Japan & Chile.#ManuSamoa pic.twitter.com/bULxtGTu4o
— Tight Five Rugby (@TightFive_Rugby) June 18, 2023
Photo: Mark Nolan/Getty Images