Tuigamala to take the wing

By EDMUND VAN ESBECK

VA'AIGA TUIGAMALA, the former All Black wing and currently on short term contract with Wasps from Wigan Rugby League club, will play for his native Western Samoa against Ireland at Lansdowne Road on Tuesday night.

Tuigamala has been called in by coach Bryan Williams, himself a former All Black wing. Williams has also called in another Western Samoan who is playing in England, the Bedford player Junior Paramore. Paramore played league with Castleford before joining Bedford.

Williams said yesterday that he always intended to call on some of the Western Samoans playing in England to strengthen his side. Once Wasps agreed to release Tuigamala, it was no more than a formality that Williams would avail of his services.

Tuigamala, capped 19 times by New Zealand, will be making his debut for Western Samoa. But he has played against Ireland once before, in the first test in Dunedin in 1992. Ireland lost that match 24-21. He was also in the Auckland team that defeated Ireland 62-7. He did not score in either match.

A few weeks ago he was in the centre for Wasps when Munster overwhelmed them 49-22 in the European Cup. He played in the centre in that match and again did not score.

He toured Ireland with the 1989 All Blacks as a 20 year old. He played against Leinster, Connacht and Ulster, and scored against Connacht and Ulster.

He will play on the left wing on Tuesday and has been named as a replacement in the team to meet Munster at Musgrave Park tomorrow. That side includes several internationals: centres Mark Fatiaofa and Terry Fanolua, outside half Fa'avaivai Tanoa'i, scrum half Va'a Vitale, prop George Latu and flanker Sene Ta'Ala.

Although the team to meet Ireland has not been officially announced, it has apparently been selected with Tuigamala on the left wing. There are two uncapped players in the test side: outside half Earl Va'aa and back row Isaac Feaunati.

In contrast, centre To'o Vaega and back row Pat Lam were both members of the Western Samoan team that played in the World Cup finals in 1991 and 1995. Lam, who captains the side, actually played for the All Blacks during the period between the two World Cups before reverting to Western Samoa. Most of the touring party have experience of New Zealand rugby at provincial level.

There is a change in the Munster replacements with Sean Madigan (Old Crescent) coming in for John Lacey (Sunday's Well).

. BBC Television has clinched a contract to cover the knockout stages of this season's Heineken European Cup. The BBC have agreed to provide nationwide coverage starting with a Rugby? Specia highlights programme featuring all four quarter finals on Sunday, November 17th.

Grandstand will screen the final live on Saturday, January 25th, while semi final arrangements are to be announced later this month.

Financial details have not been disclosed, but the BBC's decision has delighted tournament organisers frustrated at the lack of progress since ITV withdrew lucrative cash backing a month ago.

The chairman of European Rugby Cup Limited (ERC), Tom Kiernan, said: "The pool matches played to date have had a major impact, on the European rugby scene.