A touch team from Tafitoala entered the tournament last weekend to boost the morale of the youth and villagers as the gloom brought about by the prohibition on fishing is taking its toll.

The team is called Siusiu Pusi. Team manager Jeff Saini Sione said things in the village were not alright and many hoped for a return to normalcy.

"Unfortunately, the sunken ship and the prohibited fishing zone have heavily impacted our village's morale and finances, as fishing is our primary source of income. We believed that participating in the tournament would help boost the morale of our players and the community as a whole," said Sione.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to compete in the tournament, and we learned a great deal from the experience. Despite facing tough opponents like last year's winner (Stay Aloof), we thoroughly enjoyed every game and even improved our strategies by watching other teams play."

Sione said the team looked forward to returning next year, better prepared and ready to showcase improved skills.

"Thank you once again for sharing our story, and we hope that our journey inspires other communities to pursue their passions even in the face of adversity. Our journey began with a shared passion for touch rugby within our village," he said. 

"My sister Ogeata Moea'i (our team's captain), Faraimo Fuatau (head coach), and I decided to bring together a mixed team for this year's tournament. 

"We wanted to provide an opportunity for our passionate players, who play touch rugby for fun, to experience a competitive tournament with proper rules." 

Jeff was proud of his team for mastering the game rules given the short time they had to prepare for the tournament. However, they did manage to overcome the hurdles with the assistance of their community and the coach.

"Assembling the team within a week and a half came with its challenges. Rev Tanuri Setu. Michael, one of the Samoa touch rugby coach, also helped us with drills and rules days before the tournament, which was invaluable."

Their team is grateful for the opportunity to compete in the tournament, which provided a valuable learning experience despite the tough commpetition.