Touch rugby action
Samoa Touch Rugby Association kick started their 2016 programme yesterday by hosting a mixed competition at the National University of Samoa.
The Association’s Hobart Vaai said the competition is part of their preparations for the World Cup in 2019.
“This is our first tournament for the Samoa Touch Rugby Association for 2016 and it is our open grade tournament so it’s all our main teams,” he said.
“The main reason for the programme this year is because we have the Queensland Samoa Tour in August so they’ll be bringing a full strength side to play our local teams.
“So we started this by hosting a club competition from now until June and then we will pick two N.P.C sides that will play against the Queensland.
“But we are also looking at some touring sides from New Zealand and Australia coming later this year.”
Speaking about the tournament, Vaai said the mixed competition is a start, with the women and the men’s to follow.
“Today we have six clubs playing against each other we have Connection from Peace Chapel, Tuxx, Jungle Book, Meitaki, Barbarians and Day Runners,” he said.
“Today’s competition we are hosting a mixed competition which has the same amount of girls and guys on the field.
“This is the sport that we are top of in the Pacific and we are ranked 5th in the world, and this is the grade that we are good at, which is the mixed competition.
The tournament’s sponsors are S.S.A.B, B.S.L and B.S.P.