The Samoa Touch Rugby Incorporated (S.T.R.I.) wrapped up its Ministry of Health Business House Touch Tournament last Thursday at  St Joseph’s College Fields, Alafua. 

The tournament included 28 teams competing for the title from a total of 12 participating Government agencies and local businesses. 

The finals for the Spoon, Bowl, Plate and Cup divisions were strongly contested between teams, with a great number of co-workers and families turning out to support their teams. 

Results from finals saw newcomers BDO/DFAT winning the Spoon division, MOF/FESA taking out the Bowl division and Samoa Rugby Union walking away with the Plate division prize. 

The main event was the Cup final between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment/SPREP and Isitolo Leota Chartered Accountants/Lesa ma Penn; both teams have been playing in S.T.R.I. Business House tournaments for many years and finally made the Cup playoffs. 

An exhilarating game ended with MNRE/SPREP taking the spoils, winning 8-3 and walking away with the Cup Champion title, trophy and $1,000 cash prize.

S.T.R.I.’s continued partnership with the Ministry of Health works towards using the sport of touch to raise awareness on key health issues faced in our community such as N.C.D.’s and mental health. 

The touch tournament aimed to encourage participation from the private and public sector by providing a platform for team building outside of the workplace, as the tournament only allows employees to participate.

The level of sportsmanship and teamwork from all teams and supporters was very refreshing and provided spectators exciting games to watch throughout the tournament. 

This tournament was dedicated to all victims of measles as well as those at the Ministry of Health who worked during this crisis.

S.T.R.I. acknowledges the following sponsors for making the tournament possible: major sponsor Ministry of Health, sponsors Bluesky Samoa and Naydith Events, as well as Brother Chris Maney and Tuala Falani Chan Tung from St Joseph’s College for their on-going support for hirage of fields. 

Results:

CUP winner – Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment/South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme

CUP runner up – Isitolo Leota Chartered Accountants/Lesa ma Penn

PLATE winner – Samoa Rugby Union

PLATE runner up – Central Bank of Samoa

BOWL winner – Ministry of Finance/FESA

BOWL runner up – Samoa Life Assurance Corporation

SPOON winner – BDO/DFAT

SPOON runner up – ACE Hardware/Transam

MVP awards

Female MVP – Sabrina Reupena (MNRE/SPREP)

Male MVP – Unaena Lameko (BDO/DFAT)