Photo: Supplied
Three Australian rugby teams visited to take part in Samoa rugby’s 100th anniversary celebrations.
The women’s Australia A team faced off against Manusina Samoa on Monday last week, with the Manusina winning 20-17 with a penalty kick in the final seconds.
Rugby Australia also partnered with Llyod McDermott Foundation to form a First Nations men’s team comprised of indigenous players from across Australia.
The First Nations team accompanied the Australia Women’s Development 7s team to participate in the inaugural Lakapi Samoa Teuila 7s tournament.
Photo: Supplied
Llyod McDermott Foundation director Matthew Sonter said the opportunity allows them to highlight the next wave of indigenous rugby talent.
“Many of our players have ambitions to represent Australia at the highest level, and this is the perfect platform to showcase their abilities,” he said.
The visit by Australian teams was also an opportunity for learning and cultural exchange.
Teams engaged in community activities, visiting local schools and rugby clubs to learn and share knowledge and skills with young Samoan athletes.
Players also participated in traditional ava ceremonies.
Photo: Supplied
Australia’s High Commissioner to Samoa Will Robinson said the week was a remarkable celebration of rugby, culture, and community.
“The connections formed here extend beyond the field, fostering mutual respect and understanding between our nations.”
The visit was supported through the Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports initiative together with Rugby Australia.
Photo: Supplied
Rugby this weekend
The WXV3 women’s rugby competition sees Fiji and Samoa in action this weekend.
The Fijiana XV takes on Hong Kong China in Dubai at 2am Sunday, Fiji time.
Then the Manusina play the Netherlands at 4:30am.
The WXV competition aims to accelerate the growth of the women’s game and provides more competitive matches for unions, greater profile, and investment on the road to an expanded 16-team Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025.
All three levels will play across the same three weekends to enable the six qualification spots to be confirmed immediately after the conclusion of the tournament.
There was no promotion or relegation for the regional positions in WXV 2023. The sixth-placed regional position in WXV 2 at the end of each season will be relegated to WXV 3.
The top level – WXV1 – includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (Europe) and the top three teams from World Rugby’s Pacific Four Series featuring USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia (Oceania/Rugby Americas North (RAN))
This weekend in WXV1, the USA plays England, Canada plays France, and New Zealand faces Ireland.
Also this weekend, the Rugby Championship games wrap up, with the All Blacks playing the Wallabies in a dead rubber and South Africa hosting Argentina for the title.
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Author : rugby-247
Publish date : 2024-09-27 00:30:25
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