Uganda Rugby Sevens team will open their 2018 Rugby Sevens World Cup experience in San Francisco, California against Island nation of Samoa on Saturday morning.
Where is Samoa located?
Samoa is one of those countries that make up the Samoan Islands.
The Islands are an archipelago covering 3,030 km2 (1,170 sq mi) in the central South Pacific, and form part of Polynesia and the wider region of Oceania.
Precisely, the Island is located in the middle of the southern part of the Pacific Ocean with Australia on the left and South America on the right.
Which is the country’s most popular sport?
Rugby is the most popular sport in Samoa. It is very popular in the Villages and the national team has competed at every Rugby World Cup since 1991, and made the quarter finals in 1991, 1995 and the second round of the 1999 World Cup.
How good is the Samoan sevens rugby team?
Samoa has played at all Rugby World Cup Sevens finals tournaments since the championship began in 1993, and won the third-place final in 1997 and 2007.
They played at all Rugby World Cup Sevens finals tournaments since the championship began in 1993.
What can you expect from the Samoans on match day against Uganda?
Expect a very quick game. From the past, Samoa has loved pitting man to man because of their quite efficient and well-conditioned players.
They have great ball retention and exquisitely widen the field of play to open up gaps for their lethal attacks.
Who is their coach?
The team has a new coach in Sir Gordon Tietjens. He is arguably one of the best coaches at this World Cup. He was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in May 2012.
As of his induction, he had coached the All Blacks Sevens to 10 series titles in the IRB Sevens World Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens crown in 2001, and gold medals in four of the five Commonwealth Games in which the sport had been contested, losing the 2014 final in Glasgow.
He coached New Zealand to win the 2013 tournament in Moscow, Russia.
Who may stand out in the Samoa sevens team?
Alamanda Motuga’s strength upfront and speed have been key in him getting record number of tries. His pairing with equally pacey Joe Perez is bound to remain one very crucial for the team.
Also watch out for energetic David Afamasaga during the mauls and tackles in the middle as he may prove quite very helpful for the side.
Can Samoa be beaten?
Well-seasoned teams have done so. One of the few weaknesses they have could be concentration lapses especially during and after scrummage.
When is the game and where will you watch it from?
The game will get underway at 12:29 AM (Uganda Time) – 29 minutes into Saturday in Kampala Uganda.
Action will be live on Super Sport 1.
