3 Feb 2015

Sport: Samoa sevens team forced to wait on Nanai-Williams

12:52 pm on 3 February 2015

Samoa are being forced to wait on Tim Nanai-Williams's arrival for this weekend's Wellington Sevens.

The 25 year old took part in last month's Dubai and Port Elizabeth legs of the world series, and will become eligible for the full Manu Samoa team if he plays in two more tournaments.

The rest of the Samoa sevens team arrived in Wellington on Sunday but team manager and assistant coach Galumalemana Rudolph Moors says Nanai-Williams is still with the Chiefs Super Rugby squad and isn't due to arrive until the day before kickoff.

"I talked with him when we get here. He said his coach will release him on Thursday. [With] the eligbility rules we need to play him in sevens before he goes to the fifteens. We would really like him to come [early] - that's why I'm calling him yesterday and Sunday. We need him back here but it's really hard for him to come because their coach hold him back until Thursday morning".

Samoa have slipped to seventh in the World Series after missing the playoffs in the last two legs and are in the same pool as Argentina, Scotland and Kenya in Wellington.