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Manu Samoa appoint Mahonri Schwalger as their new head coach

31 Mar 2024

Mahonri Schwalger, nouveau sélectionneur des Samoa (Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Manu Samoa have named former captain and assistant coach Mahonri Schwalger as their new head coach ahead of the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup in August and September.

The 45-year-old replaces Seilala Mapusua who has paid the price for what the Samoan Rugby Union feel was a disappointing Rugby World Cup campaign.

Under Mapusua, Samoa enjoyed some success with eight wins in his first 11 games in charge but they only managed to beat Chile in France, despite running England, Argentina and Japan close.

The Pacific Nations Cup is coming | hype reel

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The Pacific Nations Cup is coming | hype reel

The reimagined Pacific Nations Cup, a six-team annual competition featuring Canada, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga, kicks off 23 August 2024. Watch it via your local broadcast partner or on RugbyPass TV.

Schwalger played 40 times for Manu Samoa, captaining them on 13 occasions, and he also won two caps for the Pacific Islands in a Test playing career spanning 11 years and three Rugby World Cups (2003, 2007 and 2011).

The former hooker counts the Highlanders, the Hurricanes, Scarlets and Sale Sharks among his former clubs. Schwalger was Manu Samoa’s scrum coach at last year’s Rugby World Cup.

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Comments on RugbyPass

RedWarriors 13 minutes ago

Rassie Erasmus wades into heated debate over Jaden Hendrikse antics

I am Irish therefore I am a PIRA and Hamas supporter?

At the most basic level, your accusations of bigotry often in the same sentences as your actual bigotry point to a profoundly stupid and angry man. Latent homosexual?

560 Go to comments

Hammer Head 17 minutes ago

As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

I think it’s telling that the only Irish flyhalf going to Australia is Sexton. I actually think he invited himself along.

Seems like something he’d do.

217 Go to comments

Hammer Head 21 minutes ago

As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

Go Australia!

217 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 22 minutes ago

'Bloodgate' vs 'Crampgate' - a classic case of rugby's moral panic

🤣

14 Go to comments

Tommy B. 25 minutes ago

Rassie Erasmus wades into heated debate over Jaden Hendrikse antics

😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

You think I’m bothered whether some illiterate Irish bog-trotter ‘believes’ me or not?

It’s PhD, by the way.

Apart from anything else, you think I’m going to give personal information to a PIRA and Hamas supporter?

560 Go to comments

Tommy B. 28 minutes ago

Rassie Erasmus wades into heated debate over Jaden Hendrikse antics

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

That’s priceless. Your ENTIRE economy is based on tax-dodging billionaires. It’s called ‘Leprechaun Economics.’ The markets have even given it a name.

560 Go to comments

Tommy B. 30 minutes ago

Rassie Erasmus wades into heated debate over Jaden Hendrikse antics

😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

What did you read when all this was going on? We know the ‘Manchester’ Guardian was one publication, but what were the others? Did they involve lots of pictures? The British government ‘agreed’ between 2016-2018 about the ‘importance’ of the border, and committed the country to finding a complex solution that ‘honoured the GFA’ (despite the fact that there’s virtually nothing in the GFA about the border) because the purpose for the power brokers in the British ‘negotiating’ team was to try and scupper and then limit Brexit. They were fanatical Remainers, remember? I know this goes way above your head, but try and keep up.

Now, what a government concerned with securing the interests of the UK as a whole would have done is listened to the Irish and EU concocted drivel about their deep concerns for NI, and told them to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine, and the border for all purposes would be the internationally recognised border between the UK and Ireland.

They didn’t do this for the reasons I’ve outlined. I can’t keep explaining basic politics to you again and again - it’s exhausting.

560 Go to comments

Hammer Head 31 minutes ago

'Bloodgate' vs 'Crampgate' - a classic case of rugby's moral panic

I think we’re the ones who suffer for it…

14 Go to comments

Ninjin 31 minutes ago

'It's crazy what you hear on that mic': Jacques Nienaber on 'wink-gate'

O I get it, you are on your period right. Explain the Murray issue please. That was actual foul play.

Maybe you did not hear the ref warn Jayden that if he does not stop he would not be kicking anymore penalties. The man had a cramp after 100+ minutes of top tier rugby and the ref was correct to tell Crowley to wait as player welfare comes first. Then came the wink of doom and you call it foul play. Crowley telling everyone but the ref to f off was also a really classy touch.

81 Go to comments

Hammer Head 32 minutes ago

'Bloodgate' vs 'Crampgate' - a classic case of rugby's moral panic

🤣

14 Go to comments

RedWarriors 37 minutes ago

'It's crazy what you hear on that mic': Jacques Nienaber on 'wink-gate'

The issue is the referee not penalizing Hendrickse for committing fouls right in front of him. He was abusinga player and didnt stop when ordered.

If Murray fouled and the ref sees it then penalize him. Normal business. Nothing to do with it.

But the kind of f**kacting Hendrikse did does not belong in soccer.

81 Go to comments

Tommy B. 41 minutes ago

Rassie Erasmus wades into heated debate over Jaden Hendrikse antics

Jesus, ‘Ike’ was my very basic answer too much for you. I just explained the entire story behind the LACK of a definition. That’s the POINT, you moron.

560 Go to comments

RedWarriors 42 minutes ago

Rassie Erasmus wades into heated debate over Jaden Hendrikse antics

TWO masters degrees and a PhD. Wow!

You’d tell us about them but you can’t because……you just made that up. There is as much a cahnce of you having a doctorate as you being a member of the Reform Party.

But feel free to prove me wrong Dr Dipsh1t!!!

560 Go to comments

RedWarriors 45 minutes ago

Rassie Erasmus wades into heated debate over Jaden Hendrikse antics

When you say paid up: Farage charges him and the other idiots £25 per annum for what they think is membership. The only thing they get is a dodgy newsletter. Farage has been using this particular grift for nearly a decade in various iterations of UKIP.

560 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 46 minutes ago

'Bloodgate' vs 'Crampgate' - a classic case of rugby's moral panic

Ike lad, your subtlety was outstanding, seriously outstanding! “I told her she was just having a mare but she got quite emotional about it.”. Now that really is one for posterity….😂😂😂

14 Go to comments

Tommy B. 47 minutes ago

Rassie Erasmus wades into heated debate over Jaden Hendrikse antics