$12,000 USD up for grabs in Marist Pago 7s tournament
A grand prize of $12,000 USD is up for grabs in the Marist Pago Amerika Samoa Flag Day International 7s Tournament that will most certainly draw rugby sevens clubs from independent Samoa to American Samoa in April.
The tournament is being hosted by the Marist-St. Joseph’s Pago Sports Association.
It is a “revival” of the long dormant inter-Samoa rugby sevens tournament, said President of Marist Pago and Chairman of the tournament, Tauileave Toluono.
Mr. Toluono made mention of reviving the competition in a Facebook post.
He told EyeSpy on Sunday that the Office of the Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga and the American Samoa Rugby Union (A.S.R.U.) have given Marist Pago the green light to host the tournament.
A press conference to announce details of the tournament has been scheduled for Saturday, 13 January, 2023, Mr. Toluono said.
“All I can tell you is yes, the Governor's Office and the American Samoa Rugby Union have approved Marist Saint Joseph's Pago to Host the Marist Pago Amerika Samoa Flag Day International 7s,” he said.
“Governor Lemanu gave us the official approval.”
Mr. Toluono confirmed that tournament champions and winners of the Governor’s Cup will receive a $12,000 USD prize that converts to roughly $30,000 Samoan Tala.
Tournament dates have yet to be finalised.
“Yes. The grand prize and Governor Lemanu Mauga's Cup is $12,000 equivalent to $30,000 Samoan Tala. Dates will be finalised next week Wednesday and then we will be hosting an Official Press Conference next week Friday, your Saturday,” Mr. Toluono told EyeSpy from American Samoa.
Chief of Staff at the Office of the Governor Tauapai Laupola told EyeSpy on Sunday that the 2023 Flag Day Committee has not made a final decision to place the Sevens Tournament on the official Flag Day programme.
“The Flag Day committee has not finalised if the Sevens Tournament will be part of the 2023 Flag Day tournament,” Mr. Laupola said in an email.
This year, American Samoa marks 123 years since the American flag was raised in the village of Fagatogo, on 17 April, 1900 to acknowledge American Samoa as a protectorate of the United States of America.