An U16 girls rugby team of Samoan heritage was crowned champions at the Pacific Youth Rugby Festival in Australia over the weekend.

The festival is where children of Pasifika cultures came together to compete at a national rugby tournament held in Queensland, Australia.

The winning girls team included 15-year-old girls from all over Queensland of Samoan descent, who were selected only 6 weeks prior, and included girls who had never played the sport before, stated a media release issued by the team on Tuesday.

Now, many of the players have become aspiring professional athletes, which is perfect timing for them to prepare for the Brisbane Olympics and at future World Cups. However, the question of what coloured jersey they would wear caused some interesting debate!

The team was coached by Kalolo Segaula of Falefa, Rosie Suemalo Aleki of Lalomanu, Falefa and Malie, and Angela Coombes of Vailima, who selected the players only 6 weeks prior to the tournament and trained them into a powerhouse of talent.

Head Coach Kalolo said it was an honour to see the girls play in their Samoan jerseys and embrace their heritage. 

“It was an honour to watch these girls play in the Samoan jersey and embrace their Polynesian heritage. We included cultural sessions to focus on our Samoan heritage, which empowered determination to win for their nation.”

 Rosie Suemalo Aleki expressed similar sentiments and said they are hoping the bring the girls to Samoa next year. 

“Values and morals come before anything else. Being a great human is more important than the wins," she said. "I’m hoping to bring the girls to Samoa next year so they can learn about their heritage and embrace their culture to empower their Rugby journey.”

 The team is looking to tour Samoa in the upcoming year and play other girls Rugby XVs teams, and to also embrace their heritage and culture, connect with family members and learn about their family’s villages.

QLD Samoa U16 Girls - Undefeated & crowned Champions for 2022:

Day 1 Results:

vs AU 25-5

vs QBarbarians 32-0

vs QKiwis 24-0

Day 2 Results:

vs QBarbarians 52-0

vs QKiwis 20-5

vs AU 71-0

Day 3 Results:

Semi Final vs AU 44-7

Grand Final vs QKiwi 15-0