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Manu Samoa appoint Mahonri Schwalger as their new head coach

By Jon Newcombe
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.

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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.

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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.

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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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