China strengthens Samoan rugby

By Vatapuia Maiava 21 July 2016, 12:00AM

The Samoa Rugby Union (S.R.U.) is the recipient of four new indoor rowers from the Chinese Embassy.

The training equipment is product of a grant of $25,000 by the Chinese government, which also presented the Union more than 1,000 rugby balls.

The Chinese Ambassador to Samoa, Wang Xuefeng presented the new equipment to the Chairman of S.R.U. and Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi at the High Performance Unit.

 “All the Chinese people know that the rugby team of Samoa is very strong; as a friend of Samoa, we are very proud of it,” he said.

“I express my thanks to the Honorable Prime Minister for your presence from your busy schedule and sincerely, we wish great success of the rugby team of Samoa in the future.”

The P.M. responded with gratitude to the kind donation.

“I thank you Ambassador on behalf of the Samoa Rugby Union,” he said.

“I thank you for your generosity for making this donation of exercise equipment; as you can see this equipment is now being utilized by our rugby boys to develop their upper body and their muscles.

“These are very important elements in building yourself to have strong physical strength as the sport is a physical one.”

According to the P.M., the S.R.U. management team is working on new reforms which will result in a great future for Samoa Rugby.

“We are putting together major reforms which we are preparing now for the implementation of a new year,” he said. “The reforms will comprise the changing of the competition so that now we will have competitions between unions; the best teams between unions.

“This will ensure that only the top boys that have graduated from the High Performance Unit will participate.

“It is a competition that will run for 15 weeks and would very closely emulate the super 14; this means our boys will be constantly playing the top boys to be selected from the Union.

“We propose to begin this new approach in March next year but between now and then we will look at the mechanics to put in place the new reforms which management is working on now.”

By Vatapuia Maiava 21 July 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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