Ace Masterton sawyer and wood chopper Faavae Sefo will wear different colours when he competes at the world championships in Norway in September.
Sefo has been a regular in New Zealand teams during the past decade and was disappointed to miss selection for the 2012 worlds. So when the championship organisers asked if he could spearhead a Samoan team he was quick to seize the opportunity, and will now be part of a side consisting of several past New Zealand representatives.
"We will be proud to represent Samoa, but in many ways it will be like having a second New Zealand team there," Sefo said. "I guess it will be a bit strange competing against rather than with the Kiwis, but it's all about giving it your best shot no matter what colours you are wearing."
Sefo has just returned from overseas conducting training camps in England, Sweden, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic and Poland and he was impressed enough to suggest while New Zealand and Australia were the nations to beat at this year's worlds they shouldn't take anything for granted.
"Most of the European countries have improved their skill levels quite markedly," he said. " Technically they still have work to do to catch up but they are prepared to work hard to bridge that gap and it's definitely closing."
