They have won only one of their last nine matches spanning back to 2016 and were humbled by Fiji in their last international, an end-of-season Test in 2019. Samoa don’t have a mid-season Test match scheduled for this year yet.
But the rejuvenation of their playing stocks could be seen as the first sign of a renaissance – and Williams would be expected to play a large part in that.
Powerhouse props Junior Paulo and Nelson Asofa-Solomona would be eligible to defect to the tier two nation while Williams would have the ear of teenage star Joseph Suaalii, who is expected to make his NRL debut in coming weeks.
Williams has been working as an adviser with the Roosters and helped convince 17-year-old Suaalii, who has been given an exemption to debut in the NRL before his 18th bithday, to sign with the tricolours when in the middle of a tug-of-war with South Sydney and Rugby Australia.
“We would do it for nothing,” Johns told Fox League. “Quite seriously, and Joey is the same, you wouldn’t take a cent. Sonny wouldn’t. It would be a bit of three-way coaching. I don’t know how it would work, but in my opinion Samoa should be emulating what Tonga are doing.
“There should be a goal that within a couple of years Samoa should be beating Australia, like Tonga have been doing. I want to be respectful because they do have a coach, but if something happens then Joey and I are available.”
The chairman of Rugby League Samoa, Tagaloa Faafouina Su’a, could not be reached for comment on Monday night.
It will not be mandatory for players to be vaccinated before they leave for the World Cup and we will certainly not be jumping the queue
Troy Grant
The news comes as World Cup organisers sound out the International Olympic Committee about the biosecurity measures required to host this year’s end-of-season tournament in the United Kingdom.
Despite reservations from club officials in the southern hemisphere, the International Rugby League is still working on staging the tournament, which has been underwritten by the UK government to be held in 2021.
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It will not be mandatory for players to be vaccinated before heading to the UK for the tournament, which is due to begin with a blockbuster between England and Samoa on October 23.
“The organising committee has been speaking to the IOC to help understand the best way to stage the World Cup later this year and it will be watching the Olympic Games with interest,” International Rugby League chairman Troy Grant said.
“As we’ve seen with this pandemic, what plans you might have today could be completely different tomorrow or next week.
“We’re planning on having about 600 people travelling from the southern hemisphere to the United Kingdom for the tournament. It will not be mandatory for players to be vaccinated before they leave for the World Cup and we will certainly not be jumping the queue.
“The organising committee is in constant contact with governments about how to safely stage a World Cup and it’s still planning for the tournament to proceed later this year.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to smh.com.au
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