5 Apr 2011

Samoa look to future as World Series crown slips further away

10:29 am on 5 April 2011

After failing to defend yet another tournament title in Adelaide, Samoa are resigned to relinquishing their hold on the IRB World Series.

Samoa have failed to win any of the six tournaments played this season, after they had won four of the final five events on their way to the 2010 title.

Their only Cup final appearance was in the season-opening tournament in Dubai and Samoa Rugby Union Chief Executive, Sua Peter Schuster, says that's where things began to go wrong.

"They could have won but the serious injuries to Lolo Lui and Levasa sort of had a bad impact in the first day I think. You know they managed to get to the final but if those two were not injured there was a strong probability that Samoa would win that and continue on. But with the injuries that were sustained at the time it added a bit of a shortfall on the players performance."

Sua Peter Schuster says injuries to key players has affected the team this season but he's confident there is enough young talent in Samoa to help the team become a a force again in the future.

He says Samoa is also looking to take part in more regional tournaments in Fiji between World Series events, as a way to give their players more top-level game time.