Lam helps launch the dazzling rise of Samoa

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful

What happening here?

It’s October 6, 1991 and Western Samoa’s young debutant No.8 Pat Lam is in typical action, making the ball available after another barnstorming run, against Wales in their World Cup pool game at the Millennium Stadium. A hugely significant player and rugby individual is announcing his arrival on the Test scene in no uncertain manner.

What’s the story behind the picture?

A Samoan heritage player – and indeed a Samoan heritage team – was shaking the rugby world to the core and hinting at what a force the motherland could be if given some encouragement and opportunity.

Lam’s parents were both Samoan born and bred but like so many islanders had migrated to New Zealand and Auckland for mainly economic reasons, with many more job opportunities and the chance to earn enough money to send back home to the extended family in Samoa.

Lam was therefore born in New Zealand and, as an exceptionally gifted player, rose through the ranks of New Zealand Schools (1987) and New Zealand Colts (1989), captaining both sides. He also played for the New Zealand Sevens team at Hong Kong in 1989 before embarking on a senior career with Auckland and Auckland Blues.

But he – and many like him such as Stephen Bachop, Frank Bunce, Peter Fatialofa, Apollo Perellini and the great Michael Jones slightly before them – faced a genuine dilemma. He was both an Islander and a Kiwi. And vice versa. Which route should he follow?

Well initially the IRB dithered and, ludicrously, made it possible to represent both countries with no stand down period. Whoever thought for a minute that could work? After Western Samoa had missed out on the invitation to the 1987 World Cup, they qualified for the 1991 tournament as of right and there was a general call to arms for talented individuals in New Zealand who were equally qualified.

What happened next?

Lam answered the call and this match against Wales was his first appearance in Samoan colours. Immediately his hard running, clever Sevens-style off-loading and shuddering tackling made an impact and helped inspire the Samoans to a famous 19-13 win.

Just three days later the same team, despite the short turn around, lost only 9-3 at Pontypool to eventual winners Australia.

It was a sensational coming out party for Samoan rugby and yet such were the vagaries of Test rugby and the confused thinking at the IRB that, with few fixtures arranged for Samoa and no guarantee of a place at the 1995 World Cup, Lam was briefly seduced by New Zealand Rugby again. In 1992 he was called up as an injury replacement by the All Blacks who were touring Australia and played in just the one game, a defeat against a Sydney Select XV. He never played in a Test but is officially All Black 928.

“Lam is a Pied Piper figure who relishes transforming underdogs into world beaters”

After that it was Western Samoa all the way in international rugby, playing a fine hand in 1995 when he took them to the World Cup quarter-final and then again four years later when, now called simply Samoa, they reached the quarter-final play-offs after a second memorable win over Wales in Cardiff.

Why is the picture iconic?

Lam, a teacher by training and nature, is an iconic player and Pied Piper figure who relishes transforming underdogs into world beaters. He worked a minor miracle as Samoa’s best player and/or captain in three World Cups and Samoa have never regained the heights they scaled during his time as a player.

As a Premiership player he was an important part of the Newcastle success story in 1997-98 when, yes, they were extremely well funded professionals but they still started their first season in the top flight as outsiders. Nobody was predicting them for the title. Somehow the Galacticos had to gel as a team and Lam was key to that.

And then he repeated that at ambitious Northampton who had spent decades in the shadow of Leicester, Bath and Wasps but then landed the Heineken Cup in 2000, the year Lam was voted the RPA player of the season.

His coaching spell at Connacht was an incredible success story, helping to transform an underfunded franchise which the IRU had tried to close down at one stage into the PRO14 Champions.

That achievement attracted the attention of Steve Lansdown at Bristol who made him an offer he couldn’t refuse in return for pulling off the same trick with the underperforming Bears. So far so good on that score. Bristol under Lam have lit up the Premiership this season and have surely laid the foundations for future years.

Only once, in my estimation, did Lam’s midas touch really desert him and that was during a largely unsuccessful spell with Auckland and the Blues. Traditional powerhouses of the New Zealand game, Auckland were always a big scalp, the team to beat, and I wonder if that didn’t quite sit comfortably with the Lam psyche? Whatever, he has scarcely looked back since parting company with Auckland and the NZRU.

Footnote: Lam’s first cousin Dylan Mika represented New Zealand, Samoa flanker Jack Lam is another cousin while Bordeaux Begles wing and New Zealand Sevens star Ben Lam is his nephew.