At London Irish and throughout the Premiership, South Sea Islanders are a potent and growing force. The Exiles' centre Seilala Mapusua speaks to Chris Hewett of the Independent about his countrymen's rise to power.
"It is possible to argue that, acre for acre, Samoa is the most fertile patch of rugby land on earth, and this current Guinness Premiership campaign marks another watershed for a Pacific people who play their national sport in a spectacularly non-pacific fashion. In the decade or so since the first generation of Samoan professionals arrived in these parts – Va'aiga Tuigamala, Pat Lam, Terry Fanolua, Shem Tatupu, Trevor Leota – their influence has grown steadily. Now, for the first time, they have an entire international XV playing in the world's most competitive domestic tournament.
"For this, they can thank their tight forwards. The Premiership has always had its share of Samoan backs and back-rowers – the trailblazers were quickly followed by the likes of Steve Bachop and John Schuster, Isaac Fea'unati and Junior Paramore (who famously drove one rival to remark that he'd hate to get on the wrong side of Senior Paramore) – but props and locks have been scarce by comparison. This season, however, the likes of Fosi Pala'amo, James Johnston and Felipo Levi have materialised to flesh out the front five of their country's England-based pack."
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