In 1994, this correspondent received a phone call from the former coach of the Manu Samoa, Su’a Peter Schuster seeking help in locating Leota Setefano Fata. He said it was paramount that Leota contact him immediately as the American Samoa player had been selected for the Hong Kong squad.

I rushed to where Leota’s rugby team, the Jets were practicing at the Tafuna Meteorological Office grounds and relayed him the good message.

The Jets captain left for Apia the next day and met with coach Su’a. In our interview for his profile on the eve of their departure for Hong Kong, Leota told this correspondent that Su’a had picked him with a group of potential players that were leaving for Fiji to train for the Hong Kong tournament that year. At the same time, the Manu Samoa 15-man a side team was preparing for its tour of South Africa.

According to Leota, some of the players who were in the team for South Africa pulled out because of injuries. Coach Su’a then asked Leota if he wanted to fill one of the vacant slots citing his ability to play several positions in the backline as his advantage over others they were considering. “I decided to go with the team to South Africa and not to Fiji,” Fata said.

Apart from traveling to South Africa, Fata also toured New Zealand with the Manu Samoa and played against Wales and Tonga in matches held at Apia Park, Samoa.

He was also involved in some of the Manu Samoa games against top teams from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa in the Super 10 tournament in the early 90’s. Manu Samoa was not a part of that competition that is now known as the Super 15 but had organized pre season games with teams from the three participating countries.

Leota was well known in rugby circles in Samoa, having established himself as a utility player during his school days at the Leififi Intermediate Secondary School, Samoa College, the Methodist’s Wesley College in Fale’ula and while representing his village of Afega’s team and his union’s rugby squad.  “I was the youngest player to have represented the Tuamasaga Rugby Union in union tournaments at that time,” Leota said.

He said his school team captured the championship in the 1st -15 division during his time, making it the first time ever that the Wesley College had won the top secondary rugby final.

Leota, who was born in Apia in 1971, came to American Samoa in 1990 and lived with his sister, the wife of a Methodist church minister. But later in life, he shifted to Canco Hill, Pavai’ia’i, where he now lives with his family. He found employment at the Coca Cola company and later became a printer at the Pago Print Shop.

Leota was one of the founders of the then Jets rugby club in Tafuna in 1990. The Jets was one of the top rugby teams in the territory at that time. He later became coach/ player and also helped coach the local Marist Sports club sevens and 15 men-a side teams recently.

During his playing days, he was selected in 7’s teams that represented American Samoa in tournaments held in Apia. He was also picked for the American Samoa 15-man team that played the Ikaletahi, Tonga’s national squad in Pago Pago.

Leota’s exceptional rugby skills he had displayed during the Marist Sports club International tournaments held at Apia Park during the early years of Marist’s successful tournaments had caught the Manu Samoa selectors attention. “The Marist’s sevens tournaments were huge in those days with many All Blacks and Australian stars taking part,” he recalled.

“We played against All Blacks like, Michael Jones, ZinZan Brooke, John Kirwan, John Schuster, Eroni Clarke, the two New Zealand All Blacks captains, Wayne Shelford and Gary Whetton and many others, the Ella Brothers from Australia, Fiji’s best, and Manu Samoa’s well known players. It was hard and tough for us but we learned a lot from going up against them.”

Those experiences had earned him a place in the Manu Samoa team in those days making Leota the only American Samoa player to have played for Samoa’s 15-man code team. It has also made him the top head coach for the Talavalu team. 

“In 2012, the ASRU advertised for a head coach and I applied and got the job,” Leota said. Since then, he has led the territorial team to Hawai’i, Australia, Samoa, Fiji and now Hong Kong.

One of the most successful accomplishments he has achieved as the head coach of the territorial team in the short time since he was appointed, was securing a place for the Talavalu team in the Hong Kong competition this weekend. It happened in Fiji last year when he took American Samoa’s Talavalu to take part in the IRB Qualifying tournament to select the top two teams to represent the Oceania Region to Hong Kong.

But the opportunity to compete in the IRB Fiji Qualifying tournament was almost lost. First, the ASRU did not have the money to pay for American Samoa’s tournament’s registration fee. The rugby union then appealed to Bluesky Communications for help and the major Talavalu sponsor obliged.

Second, the deadline to register teams had passed. So Chairman Togiola Tulafono had to use his power of negotiation (polished from the time when he was governor for ten years) to persuade IRB to allow the Talavalu team to compete.

“I was preparing the team for the Fiji tournament not knowing whether we were going to play or not.  But when we received the green light, we picked up the pace of our training,” Leota told this correspondent.

“The ASRU had published a list of about 70 players to report to trials but there were less than 20 that turned up. I then decided to pick the team from those that showed up.”

With about three weeks away from the Fiji competition, the new Talavalu coach began to induce his rugby philosophy. “It was hard at first as the players were not familiar with my coaching methodology. But we struggled on and reached a level that was easier for us to manage,” Leota explained.

“I didn’t think many here believed that our team was going to be successful in Suva,” Leota said. “Even some ASRU officials that brought our uniforms before we left told the players to just go and have fun in Fiji.”

Leota explained the Talavalu played the top seed team from the Cook Islands in their first match and lost. “We were leading Rarotonga, 0-12 at halftime but our team ran out of gas. We had a team talk later on and I stressed to the players that we had one last shot in putting American Samoa on the road to Hong Kong, and that was through Papua New Guinea”.

The Talavalu heroes then went out and performed to their best. They scored an upset win against PNG in the last minute of their match and this week, American Samoa is in Hong Kong, along with the Cook Islands.

“I would like to offer my special thanks to those players that opened the window for American Samoa to crawl through to Hong Kong. Many of them are not with us on this historic trip, but the territory will never forget their courageous fight to put American Samoa on the road to Hong Kong. The odds were against us but those that fought for the honor of American Samoa in Fiji last year are forever remembered for their fearless play. As your coach, I’m very proud of you all and for what we accomplished in Fiji. Thank you.”

Leota is married to Toti Fa’alata of Fasito’o and Fagatogo and they have two sons. Stedhen is 16 years old and attends Tafuna High School, while Shened, who is 13 goes to Manumalo Baptist. Leota owns a printing company, SNS Commercial Printing, and his wife works for ASG.

Leota said his team is well prepared for the Hong Kong tournament. “We’ve been training for this goal since January. We hope that we can execute all the things that we have learned. The players are confident in their ability to carry American Samoa to another level in world rugby.

“I would like to thank our major sponsor, Bluesky for its support that has made this trip a reality. We also thank the people of the territory, the government, churches, and the ASRU for your donations, support, and prayers.

“Special thanks to the families of the Talavalu players who helped in many ways like cooking, feeding the team, and donating their time, money and materials. They have sacrificed all this for the success of their loved ones who are representing them and American Samoa in Hong Kong.

“I wish to thank my wife, sons, and family for their support during my involvement with the team. We will play our best in Hong Kong for the honor of American Samoa and its people,” Leota concluded.