Samoa’s all-time Super League Dream Team including St Helens quintet and Wigan Warriors quartet

Samoa are currently enjoying a tour of England as they take on Shaun Wane’s hosts in a two-Test series this autumn.

England are currently 1-0 up ahead of the second and final Test in Leeds on Saturday afternoon, with Wane’s side having run-out 34-18 winners at the Brick Community Stadium in Wigan last weekend.

Although Samoa are missing a few high-profile names this autumn, Ben Gardiner’s squad is star-studded to say the least, featuring a plethora of talent from the NRL as well as Super League duo John Asiata and Ricky Leutele.

And there’s been a number of Samoans who have lit up Super League over the years. With that in mind, Love Rugby League has come up with a ‘Super League Dream Team’ featuring only players who have represented Samoa on the international stage.

Spoiler alert: it is absolutely star-studded. Let’s get into it, shall we?

1. Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e (Sheffield, Toronto, Halifax, Castleford, Newcastle, Keighley)

We broke the rules last week in our Super League Dream Team of Papua New Guinea stars when we included Sheffield Eagles powerhouse Menzie Yere as he’d never played in the top flight before (it was fully justified, by the way!).

And, well, we aren’t quite breaking the rules this week as Laulu-Togaga’e has played in Super League before: but not for long.

Like Yere, QLT quickly became a legend at Sheffield, scoring an incredible 181 tries in 228 appearances for the Eagles to date.

The two-time Samoa international played in Super League for Castleford in 2018, making nine appearances for the Tigers: and he has also played for Toronto, Halifax, Newcastle and Keighley.

RELATED: An outrageously good Super League Dream Team of Papua New Guinea stars

2. Inga Tuigamala (Wigan)

Nicknamed Inga the Winger, it didn’t take long for Tuigamala to become a fans’ favourite on the terraces at Central Park.

The Faleasiu-born powerhouse played in the early days of the Super League era, having scored 57 tries in 90 appearances for Wigan between 1994 and 1997 before going on to play for New Zealand and Samoa in rugby union.

Tuigamala also won two caps for his beloved Samoa in rugby league, representing his country in the 1995 Rugby League World Cup.

The Wigan icon sadly passed away in 2022, with Samoa captain Jarome Luai paying tribute to the Warriors icon by laying down a ‘Tuigamala 3’ Wigan shirt on the ground ahead of Samoa’s first Test against England in Wigan last weekend.

3. Willie Talau (St Helens, Salford)

We can’t do a Super League Dream Team of Samoans without including Talau the Tank, could we?

The Apia-born centre spent eight seasons in Super League between 2003 and 2008 – six with St Helens and two with Salford.

Talau scored 65 tries in 149 appearances for Saints, whilst making 25 appearances for the Reds before hanging up his boots in 2010.

The now 48-year-old represented both New Zealand and Samoa on the international stage, helping the Kiwis reach the World Cup final in 2000 whilst representing his birth nation Samoa in the 2008 World Cup.

4. George Carmont (Wigan)

Carmont is one of the finest centres to ever play in Super League: and he is someone who is still regularly mentioned by Wigan fans to this day.

The Auckland-born centre scored 79 tries in 153 appearances for Wigan between 2006 and 2010.

Carmont was named in the Super League Dream Team in three of his five seasons with the Warriors, helping the club win the Super League title in 2010 and the Challenge Cup the following year.

Carmont, now 46, won 10 caps for Samoa during his career, representing his heritage in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.

MY ULTIMATE TEAM: Joel Tomkins names the greatest 1-17 from players he played alongside, including George Carmont

5. Francis Meli (St Helens, Salford)

Meli was one of the most powerful wingers to grace the Super League competition, having scored 145 tries in 223 appearances for St Helens over eight seasons between 2006 and 2013.

The Apia-born winger played in Saints’ Grand Final triumph in 2006 whilst starring in three Challenge Cup final successes. He spent the final year of his career with Salford in 2014, scoring 14 tries in 19 games for the Reds.

On the international stage, Meli represented both New Zealand and Samoa, winning 14 caps for the Kiwis and seven for Toa Samoa, representing his birth nation Samoa in the 2000 and 2008 Rugby League World Cups.

6. Ben Roberts (Castleford)

Roberts came to Super League in 2015 after making almost 150 appearances in the NRL for Canterbury Bulldogs, Parramatta Eels and Melbourne Storm.

The now 39-year-old spent five seasons in Super League with Castleford between 2015 and 2019, scoring 22 tries in 78 appearances for the Tigers, playing at stand-off in their Grand Final defeat to Leeds in 2017.

Roberts was born in Australia and is of both New Zealander and Samoan heritage, representing both the Kiwis and Toa Samoa in rugby league. Roberts won five caps for New Zealand before switching allegiance to Samoa in 2008, going on to represent his Samoan heritage in three World Cups.

7. Mason Lino (Wakefield)

The Apia-born playmaker came over to England ahead of the 2021 season with Wakefield and quickly became a fans’ favourite at Belle Vue.

Lino has scored 14 tries and kicked 158 goals in 90 games for Trinity so far, and is contracted to the newly-promoted Super League club until the end of the 2026 campaign.

Lino has won three caps for Samoa but hasn’t been called up by his country since 2019.

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8. Mose Masoe (St Helens, Hull KR)

The big bopper, who weighed around 130kg when he was playing, had the ability to cause absolute havoc to opposition defences in the middle of the park.

Masoe came over to Super League in 2014 with St Helens, making 61 appearances in the Red V over two years, helping the Saints win the Super League title in his maiden season.

After spending the 2016 season in the NRL, Masoe returned to England with Hull KR in 2017, making 59 appearances over three seasons with the Robins. Unfortunately in 2020, Masoe’s career was cut short by a life-changing spinal injury.

Masoe was capped by Samoa seven times and represented his heritage in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. His explosive carries always got fans off their feet, but more importantly, he is a humble and down to earth character off the field.

9. Danny Levi (Huddersfield)

Wellington-born Levi only spent one season in Super League with Huddersfield in 2022, making 30 appearances for the Giants, with one of those coming in their Challenge Cup final defeat to Wigan at Tottenham.

The 28-year-old has represented both New Zealand and Samoa on the international stage. He made has won four caps for birth nation New Zealand whilst he has represented his Samoan heritage five times.

Levi, who has made 138 appearances in the NRL, played for the Kiwis in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup before representing his Samoan roots in the most recent Rugby League World Cup in 2022.

10. Kylie Leuluai (Leeds)

Leuluai is one of Super League’s greatest ever overseas imports, without a shadow of a doubt.

The Auckland-born powerhouse is a genuine legend of Leeds, having played 258 games for the Rhinos during his nine seasons at Headingley between 2007 and 2015.

Leuluai won six Super League titles, two World Club Challenge titles, two Challenge Cups and two League Leaders’ Shields during his incredible chapter with the Rhinos.

Internationally, Leuluai made his international debut for New Zealand Maori in 1998, representing his Maori heritage in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. He then represented his Samoan roots in the 2008 World Cup.

MY ULTIMATE TEAM: Leeds Rhinos legend Kylie Leuluai names his greatest 1-13 of players he played alongside

11. Harrison Hansen (Wigan, Salford, Leigh, Widnes, Toulouse)

Ask any Wigan fan about Hansen and they will tell you just how highly regarded he is at the club and amongst their fanbase. He might not be a Wiganer, but he is an icon of the club, especially in the Super League era.

Hansen, the son of former Samoa international Shane, was born in New Zealand but raised in England whilst his dad was playing for Salford and Swinton.

The 39-year-old scored 43 tries in 243 appearances for Wigan between 2004 and 2013, helping the Warriors win two Super League titles and two Challenge Cups.

He has spent his entire career in the northern hemisphere, making more than 500 career appearances for Wigan, Salford, Leigh, Widnes and Toulouse.

The Auckland-born back-rower made his Test debut for birth nation New Zealand in 2006 before representing his Samoan heritage at the 2008 and 2013 World Cups.

RELATED: Two-time Super League winner bids farewell to high-flying Championship club

12. Ali Lauitiiti (Leeds, Wakefield)

The Leeds and Wakefield icon’s hands were so big that he made the ball look like a peanut when he was carrying it.

Lauitiiti is another forward who will be a name that crops up in pubs across Lancashire and Yorkshire when the topic of Super League’s best imports comes up.

The Auckland-born back-rower scored 64 tries in 200 games for Leeds between 2004 and 2011 before going on to spend four seasons with Wakefield, scoring 17 tries in 86 appearances for the Trin.

Lauitiiti won 19 caps for birth nation New Zealand, playing for the Kiwis in the 2000 World Cup final. He switched allegiance to Samoa in 2007, representing his Samoan heritage in the 2008 World Cup.

13. John Asiata (Leigh, Hull FC)

Asiata has been nothing short of sensational since arriving in England with Leigh ahead of the 2022 season, making 76 appearances for the Leopards and being the captain that lifted the Challenge Cup for Adrian Lam’s side in 2023.

Last weekend, the 31-year-old represented Samoa for the first time since 2017 as Gardiner’s side went down to defeat against England in Wigan.

Asiata, who has also represented his Tongan heritage on the world stage, waved goodbye to Leigh at the end of the 2024 campaign, with the influential loose forward having signed a three-year contract with Hull FC from 2025.

LRL EXCLUSIVE: John Asiata lifts lid on Hull FC move and makes passionate Samoa admission ahead of Test return

Bench

Willie Poching (Hunslet, Wakefield, Leeds)

Not a lot of people seem to know this, but Poching actually first came over to England in 1998 with Hunslet! But he only made two appearances for the Parksiders before moving to Wakefield.

The Auckland-born back-rower would go on to make 74 appearances for Trinity across three seasons before signing for Leeds ahead of the 2002 campaign. He spent five years at Headingley, scoring 51 tries in 149 games for the Rhinos.

Poching won six caps for Samoa, representing his heritage in the 1995 and 2000 Rugby League World Cup tournaments. He also earned a solitary cap for New Zealand in 2005.

In addition, Poching’s father Eddie was the first-ever manager of the Samoa national rugby league team in 1986.

Sia Soliola (St Helens)

Soliola was a real fans’ favourite on the terraces at the Totally Wicked Stadium, scoring 31 tries in 117 appearances for St Helens over the course of five seasons between 2010 and 2014, winning the Super League Grand Final in his final season in the Red V before his return to the NRL.

The Auckland-born forward represented both New Zealand and Samoa on the international stage, earning 12 caps for New Zealand before switching his allegiance to play for Samoa, representing the latter in the 2013 World Cup.

Apollo Perelini (St Helens)

Perelini is a St Helens icon, having scored 44 tries in 192 appearances between 1994 and 2000 before crossing codes to rugby union. He won two Super League titles and two Challenge Cups whilst with the Saints.

The Auckland-born prop is a New Zealand national and represented his Samoan heritage in both rugby league and rugby union.

Perelini won two caps for Samoa in league, which came in the 1995 Rugby League World Cup, whilst he donned the blue jersey in the 1991 Rugby World Cup and played nine times for Samoa in union.

RELATED: St Helens icon Apollo Perelini among Super League’s best overseas one-club men

Willie Isa (Castleford, Widnes, Wigan)

Isa is a bonafide Wigan legend, having made 209 appearances for the Warriors since his arrival ahead of the 2016 season. Isa has recently signed a one-year contract extension with Matt Peet’s side and will enter his 10th season with the Cherry and Whites in 2025.

The Auckland-born back-rower first came over to Super League with Castleford in 2011 before moving to Widnes the following season. He would spend four seasons with the Vikings, playing 87 games in black and white prior to his transfer to Wigan.

Isa won a solitary cap for Samoa back in 2010, perhaps surprisingly, hasn’t been called up since. He played for New Zealand in a 74-0 win over Leeds in a warm-up game ahead of the Rugby League World Cup in 2022.

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