Air Force Boost Samoa Women's Rugby Spirits

New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa
Media Release
7 August 2009 (Local Time)

Air Force Boost Manu Sina Samoa Women's Rugby Spirits Before Key Game

The Manu Sina Samoa Women’s Rugby Team came out to visit the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Camp in Apia, Samoa yesterday as part of their build up for the world cup qualifier against the Australian Wallaroos this afternoon. The tour around the base gave the girls the opportunity to relax and take their minds off rugby for ‘five minutes’, but observe other highly motivated professionals undertake skilled tasks. The Air Force pride themselves on team work, strong leadership and the flexibility to adapt quickly to an ever-changing environment. It is hoped that some of this work ethic will rub off on the team for today's game.

The Manu Sina Samoa Women’s Rugby Team has been in camp for the last two weeks preparing for their world cup qualification match against the Australian Wallaroos. The winner of the match on Friday the 7th August at Apia park in Apia will win the right to compete at the 2010 women’s rugby world cup in England. The team has been selected from a mix of Island based players and New Zealand and Australian based Samoans. The team has been based at the Samoan Rugby Union High Performance Unit in Alufoa, where they have been living together and undertaking a rigorous schedule of strength and fitness conditioning, rugby team training and gelling together as a professional squad to be well prepared for the international test today.

The Samoan National Trainer David Edgar, a New Zealand Army Reserve Force Lieutenant, and Physical Training Instructor Sgt Lisa Harrison, are posted to the Samoa Rugby Union to specifically work with the Manu Sina for the World Cup Qualification build up. "The opportunity to come out to visit the Air Force Base at Faleolo International Airport is a huge boost for the girls. It’s a crucial game for us and we hope that seeing the Air Force in action will inspire the team when we take on the Wallaroos" said LT Edgar.

Exercise TROPIC ASTRA 09 is being conducted from 29 July to 1 September 2009 and is an annual RNZAF exercise designed to provide readiness training in tropical flying operations, including civil tasking and aircrew survival training for selected aircrew personnel.

In addition, the RNZAF will be conducting flying tasks in support of the Samoan Government as directed through the NZ High Commission. All of the activities being conducted will simulate what will happen in real time on air operations whether it is disaster relief, humanitarian aid or search and rescue and aid to local Governments.

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