Nata wins player of tournament award

Press, 8 November 1988, Page 40

Nata wins player of tournament award

By

SHANE HURNDELL

for NZPA

Apia The Bay of Plenty centre, Paul Nahu, who is on the "rookie” scheme next season and is available to Australian clubs, has won the award for the player of the Pacific Cup rugby league tournament in Western Samoa. Nahu, aged 21, was presented with the “player of the tournament” trophy at the prizegiving function after the New Zealand Maori team beat Western Samoa, 26-16, in the final. He was the tournament’s top points-scorer and was a popular choice for the award. After receiving the award from the Western Samoan Prime Minister and patron of the Western Samoan Amateur Rugby League Association, Tofilau Eti Alesana, Nahu said he hoped it would help him move to bigger things in the code.

A senior Kiwi jersey is his aim next season and, although the Bay of Plenty has been granted division one status, Nahu believes he will have to move to Auckland or Wellington to help him achieve his ambition. The Western Samoan captain and former Kiwi standoff, Olsen Filipaina, received the "sportsman of the tournament” award. Filipaina, aged 33, went off 20min from the end of the final with a foot injury in what was probably his last match in his home country.

The New Zealand Maori and Wellington second-rower Kelly Makaore was man of the match for the grand final. The Western Samoan secondrower, Shane Hansen, was runner-up for the same award in spite of playing with eight stitches just above his right eye. The New Zealand Maori manager, Paul Matete, of Auckland, told the function that the Maori coach, Richard Bolton, and he were nervous throughout the final.

"The five other teams are getting closer to us. We were afraid of losing, such is the improvement they are showing,” he said. Matete said the 1990 tournament in Tona would be a tough one for the five-times winner. A tournament team was

selected by the New Zealand media at the event. The team is: fullbacks, Danny Laulu (Western Samoa), Morvin Edwards (NZ Maoris); wingers: Victor Aramoana (NZ Maoris), Simati Alaimoana (Western Samoa), Sitani Mafi (Tonga), Carl Magatogi (Cook Islands); centres: Paul Nahu (NZ Maoris), Nick Halalilo (Tonga), Suki Rae (Cook Islands), Paddy Tuimavave (Western Samoa); stand-offs: Kelly Shelford (NZ Maoris), Matthew Roiall (Tonga); scrum-halves: Moses Vaovasa (Tokelau Islands), Fatai Ika (Tonga); props: Russell Tuuta (NZ Maoris), Mike Toomata (Western Samoa), Aleki Aloisio (Tokelau Islands), David Poching (Western Samoa); second-rowers: Kennedy Taogaga (Western Samoa), Shane Hansen (Western Samoa), John Fifita (Tonga), Kelly Makaore (NZ Maoris); loose forwards: Vili Vili (Western Samoa), Terry O’Shea (NZ Maoris); Hookers: Barry Harvey (NZ Maoris), Duane Mann (Tonga). Coaches: Olsen Filipaina, Eddie Moore (both Western Samoa); Managers: John Whittaker (Cook Islands) and Terry Taloa (Tokelau Islands); masseur: Driver Rau (NZ Maoris). The Maoris won the final 26-16 after leading 10-6 at the interval. In the play-off for third and fourth Tonga beat the Cook Islands 19-6 after leading 11-6 at half-time.