Samoan rugby fundraises for Rugby World Cup qualifiers

By Nefertiti Matatia 22 June 2018, 12:00AM

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, who is also the Chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union, has launched a fundraising drive for Samoan rugby.

Held at the S.T.A. Fale today, the Union’s latest radiothon is to raise money to help Manu Samoa’s campaign to qualify for the Rugby World Cup.

The team is scheduled to play Germany in a home and away series, which starts at Apia Park next Saturday.

Speaking at the opening of radiothon, Tuilaepa said the series against Germany is the last chance for Samoa to reach the World Cup in Japan next year.

The team will be hoping to break a 10 game losing streak when they take the field next week.

The Chairman reminded that the S.R.U. is a small union that relies a lot on donations to survive.

“People can ask why should we waste money on a losing team?” Tuilaepa said.

He answered and said that experience from losing games help players to learn from their mistakes.

“You become smarter after you make many mistakes,” he said.

“Our Manu Sevens team that became world champions came through that, after losing so many times, they eventually started winning and reached the top of the world.”

Tuilaepa added that Samoa is a small country with a small player pool to choose from.

Compared to Fiji who has nearly a million people to choose from, Tuilaepa said we need to widen that player pool. 

“That’s the thinking behind the Super 9, to widen the selection pool, even looking at growing the sport at grassroots level.”

Today’s Radiothon is also being used to fund the Manu Samoa Sevens World Cup campaign in San Francisco and the Under 20s team.

Numbers to call: 

Bluesky Numbers to call 

604401
604402
604403
604404
604405
604406

Digicel Numbers
8455503
8455504

By Nefertiti Matatia 22 June 2018, 12:00AM

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