Editorial
Samoa Observer
APIA, Samoa (March 29, 2010) - New Zealand has suffered five defeats in the 2009-2010 International Rugby Board (IRB) sevens World Series.
The problem for the Kiwis, though, is that each one was at the hands of Samoa.
And as a result of the latest defeat inflicted on the Land of the Long White Cloud, Samoa now heads the IRB points table, just three points clear of the Kiwis.
There are two tournaments remaining in the 2009-2010 series – in London and Edinburgh in early and late May. With Samoa on 124 points, New Zealand on 121 and Fiji a distant third on 94, it’s a two-horse race with a photo finish the only predictable outcome.
But what the rest of the rugby world is asking is: How can we compete with the Pacific islanders in sevens rugby?
For nearly two decades the abbreviated code was dominated by Fiji and New Zealand, the latter regularly peppering its side liberally with islanders, mainly but not...