NEW MANU SAMOA HEAD COACH

The Samoa Observer reported yesterday that on February 2nd, the Samoa Rugby Union hired Fuimaono Titimaea Tafua as the new coach of Manu Samoa. The announcement comes just two weeks after the former coach, Lepale Niko Palamo, was dumped from the top spot.

Pundits are already questioning the move to appoint a coach who has very little experience outside of his success at the helm of the Samoa Sevens team and his coaching resume in the local competition. Many feel that in order for the team to be competitive on the world stage, only a top-notch coach with international experience and whose resume might include a stint in the Super 14 might give the team a bit more credibility. But keep that argument in mind when the name Quddus Fielea comes up in conversations about who is fit to lead a national side.

Fie-Who? That's a common response outside of Ikale Tahi circles. Fielea was the guy who stepped in to lead Tonga to their most successful Rugby World Cup campaign to date. Coach Fielea's Tongan side embarrassed Manu Samoa, played neck-and-neck with England to the end and were just seconds away from stealing a victory from the eventual champions South Africa in a nail-biter.

International experience aside, there is something to be said about a coach with local ties who understands his players, what it takes to motivate them and when to play to their strengths and recognize their weaknesses. Being technically sound is just a fraction of what it takes to coach a competitive side and anyone who has played on a team, professional or otherwise will tell you that it is the ability of the coach to draw out the best in his players that makes the difference between winning and just going through the motions.

Manu Samoa is going to go through a lot of changes in philosophy, mentality and technicality. I'm hoping that Fuimaono is up to the challenge and having spoken to the guy during his time as coach of Samoa Sevens, I'm confident that he can light a fire under his new charges, whomever they turn out to be.