Tigers’ Brown in Samoa’s World Cup line-up

| November 11, 2022

Former Featherstone player Fa’amanu Brown has been called into Samoa’s team to play England in the World Cup semi-final at the Emirates Stadium.

The 27-year-old Wests Tigers player takes the place of ex-Huddersfield hooker Danny Levi, who had started all of Samoa’s four matches in the tournament so far.

In October, Levi was released from the last year of his contract with Huddersfield for family reasons and it is now thought he is heading back home to Australia.

Coach Matt Parish has promoted Brown, who was 18th man for Samoa’s 20-18 quarter-final win over Tonga, for Saturday’s clash at Arsenal’s soccer home and also recalled Penrith prop Spencer Leniu, who was a late withdrawal last Sunday.

Captain Junior Paulo was cleared to play after Samoa successfully challenged a one-match penalty notice imposed by the tournament’s match-review panel for use of the elbow in the game at Warrington.

The squad includes Salford three-quarters Tim Lafai and Ken Sio, who were late additions to the squad following a spate of injuries sustained in Samoa’s opening 60-6 defeat by England.

Samoa’s squad: F Brown (Wests Tigers), S Crichton (Penrith), C Harris-Tavita (NZ Warriors), R Hunt (Cronulla), O Kaufusi (Parramatta), T Lafai (Salford), S Leniu (Penrith), J Luai (Penrith), T May (Penrith), A Milford (Brisbane), J Papali’i (Canberra), J Paulo (Parramatta, captain), L Sao (Hull), K Sio (Salford), J Su’a (St George Illawarra), J Suaali’i (Sydney Roosters), M Taupa’u (Manly), B To’o (Penrith), K Tuilagi (Wests Tigers).