By Tupuola Terry Tavita

Samoa put up a spirited fight last night as the curtains came crashing down on their World Cup quest.

No doubt this morning – and weeks to come – the media and rugby pundits will be dissecting this failed – and deeply disappointing – campaign.

Though the team played their hearts out at North Harbour Stadium, they were on the wrong end on the scoreboard reading 13-5 at the final whistle.

An upset over world champions South Africa was always going to be a tough ask. Thus questions have to be asked if poor selection and poor decision making in previous games dug them in the hole they couldn’t get out of last night. We don’t want to single out particular players, but Tasesa Lavea cost us the game against Wales. He has never showed any form but the selectors still went ahead and picked him. Started him against the Welsh and he was the disaster everybody expected.

Sailosi Tagicakibau – the veteran of three World Cup campaigns – has never lived up to his big European reputation in the Samoan jersey.

In fact, we would venture to say that he only gets picked because of his big European billing. He started three games at this World Cup and he was mediocre at best and lazy at worst.

David Lemi’s dazzling performance last night raises the question why selectors kept picking the rubbish Tagicakibau all along when he was never in form.

Many people are also asking why top local and rugby sevens stars Alafoti Faosiliva and Fautua Oto did not make the team. The team could’ve certainly used these two at this World Cup and the two players could certainly have used the experience, and exposure, the world tournament provides.

There are also other issues on the management – or mismanagement – of the team that we expect, will be raised on public fora in the coming weeks.

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