Transcript
The Fetu Samoa players were given a warm welcome by around 150 supporters at a fan event in South Auckland on Thursday, ahead of their first international in eight years.
Billy-Jean Ale and Tasia Seumanufagai are the only survivors from the side that played Australia in Apia back in 2011, while five players have previously represented New Zealand or Australia.
New Zealand Warriors second rower Luisa Gago was a part of the Kiwi Ferns World Cup squad in 2017 but says the opportunity to represent Samoa was one she could not ignore.
"It's not often that we get this chance and I think the last time Fetu Samoa had a team was 2011 so for us to come back it was a chance that I couldn't miss out and an opportunity that I couldn't turn down. Also my family supported me to go and play for Samoa, to represent my country."
While eight years is a long time between kick-offs Fiji will play their first ever women's rugby league international against PNG.
The players have been in camp since Monday but head coach Adrian Vowles doesn't expect the magnitude of what is happening to fully hit the players until game-day.
"It's amazing and I think the enormity of the occasion will probably sink in a little bit to the girls when they line up on Saturday and walk out on the field. I think it will probably sink in there that they're creating history for Fiji."
The 'Bulikula' name was chosen by the late Fiji NRL Chairman, Peni Musunamasi, who died last month after a short illness.
Adrian Vowles says he was a big supporter of the women's programme and is very much in their thoughts.
"It's important that we do Peni's name justice and (he was) very much loved in Fiji Rugby League and Fiji in general and we'd like to get the right result for him and hopefully we can do that."
Front-rower CJ Sims will earn her first cap for Fiji two hours before younger brother Korbin runs out on the same field for the Fiji men's side against Lebanon, while in the opposing team PNG Orchids hooker Therese Aiton will make her test debut, following in the footsteps of older brother Paul Aiton, a former Kumuls captain.
"My mum, I know especially, and my dad are very proud and my brother. I've had a few text messages from him - he's pretty happy to see me representing my country too and he knows that feeling of putting on that jersey and the emotions that come with it - so for me to be a part of it yeah it's pretty big for my family."
The PNG Orchids have not played an official test for two years but head coach Nigel Hukula says the women's game in PNG continues to expand at a rapid rate.
"The growth of the women's it's been phenomenal since the 2017 World Cup - I think it's almost five/six fold: it's gone from a couple of thousand to almost three to five thousand registered players over the last two and a half years as well as the schools programme, which is catering for an under 18 girls competition as well and hopefully we'll get down to the 16s and 14s."
One thing Samoa, Fiji, and PNG all agree on is that more tests and more opportunities can only be good for the international game.
