Samoans heading for Cork

WESTERN SAMOA, who face Munster on Saturday and Ireland next Tuesday, will arrive tomorrow following their final game in Britain yesterday against Oxford University where they easily beat the students 58-27.

The squad will fly to Cork from London before their first training session at Cork Constitution's ground at Temple Hill at 3.30 p.m.

The tourists will train again on Friday at Constitution before meeting Munster at Musgrave Park (2.30).

Leaving Cork on Sunday, Western Samoa then travel to Dublin where they will base their training sessions at Monkstown before meeting Ireland on Tuesday at Lansdowne Road (7.30).

The Irish training session, which begins tomorrow, will include all of the London Irish players listed to play in Tuesday's match. Although the Sunbury-based club are playing against Dunvant tonight in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, Rob Henderson, David Humphries, Gabriel Fulcher and Jeremy Davidson will not be involved.

London Irish were due to play against Wasps this Saturday in a critical Courage League match but, because of the Irish session and game against Western Samoa, they sought and were granted a postponement until November 16th.

Western Samoa have a largely inexperienced squad although six players have played in the World Cup. Team captain Pat Lam was a prime force when Western Samoa reached the quarter-finals of both the 1991 and 1995 competitions. He also had a brief spell as an All Black in between.

Centre To'o Vaega also appeared in both world tournaments while hooker Tala Leiasamaivao, centre George Leaupepe. halfback Va'a Vitale and lock Mark Birtwistle were all involved in the 1995 World Cop.