SAMOA U14s TOUR – PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday 7 September, 2022
SAMOA AUKILANI U14s TOUR BRISBANE IN OCTOBER 2022
SAMOA U14 coaches Cristo Tofa & Jasyn Taufua have assembled a squad of 25 players ahead of the tour of Brisbane, Australia.
The coaching duo and seven staff has worked tirelessly to get the team ready for the upcoming Q LEGAL Rugby League Samoa Queensland tournament on the 8th October in Brisbane. The team will play another two scheduled games prior to their departure of Brisbane on the 16th October, 2022. “The tour will be huge in terms of the Connections and Opportunities they will experience meeting another Samoan community, making friends, creating networks with various Coaches, Clubs and Schools” Cristo Tofa (Coach) Rugby League Samoa Auckland toured Brisbane back in 2018 as an Under 10s squad and are using the experience gained from that tour to provide these young men more insight and player development within the Australian system. The SAMOA U14s are going to visit the Brisbane Broncos headquarters and newly crowned QLD High School Champions Ipswich State High School.
The team is completing the last of their fundraising before they hit the ground running in preparation for departure. Team managers Margaret Manu and Telesia Sulu are managing behind the scenes, organising everything for the tour.
As part of the journey all 25 players are taking part in a Welfare – Wellbeing programme by facilitator Jade Brown, the “Le Malaga” programme was created by Jason Taufua, Cristo Tofa and Jade Brown. A Samoan cultural curriculum is also a key aspect of the tour, language, representing your heritage and [aiga] family.
“Majority of the teenagers are son’s of migrant families who traveled from Samoa to New Zealand many years ago in search of Work, Education and Opportunity. We are excited to see them flourish on tour and gain valuable experiences for the future” Matt Tuisamoa (RLSQ Leader).
RL Samoa Headquarters wishes the team all the very best as they embark on the first tour for any junior team since the start of Covid-19 pandemic, “Congratulations to everyone making this possible for these young men.” Geoff Muliaga Brown (RLS Executive)
Le Faigamalaga o le Tuputupu ae – “The Journey of Growth”
ENDS
