Aotearoa Women to take on World Cup winners

AOTEAROA MAORI WOMEN’S RUGBY 7’s

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MEDIA RELEASE
12th March 2010

Aotearoa Women to take on World Cup winners Australia at Hong Kong

In a surprise move, the Hong Kong Sevens organisers have invited the Aotearoa Maori Women’ s 7’s team to return to Hong Kong to participate in the 2010 tournament on 26 March.

The Aotearoa Maori Women’s team are unbeaten in Hong Kong having won the prestigious International Women’s 7’s tournament for six consecutive years from 2002. In 2008, the tournament organisers decreed that only “full national” teams could participate in the tournament thereby ruling out the team considered to be the best in the world.

“It was disappointing to have been excluded from this tournament for the last two years”, said the Aotearoa Maori Women’s 7’s selector/coach, Peter Joseph. “When we were contacted just over two weeks ago and asked if we would accept this belated invitation, the immediate reaction was to say ‘no thanks’, but the opportunity to have our talented young players competing at this level internationally is more important than injured feelings”, said Joseph.

“It is now a huge rush to get the team prepared to take on some of the best women’s 7’s teams in the world, including the winners of last year’s inaugural women’s world cup, Australia. We had to contact players to see if we could put a competitive team together in such a short time”, said Joseph.

“The prospect of a final between Australia, who will be seeking to defend their Hong Kong title and Aotearoa Maori who will be looking to make it seven out of seven titles, is certainly tantalizing,” he said.

The lateness of the invitation means that the Aotearoa Maori has not been able to seek funding to assist with costs and therefore players and management are paying there own airfares (approximately $23,000).

“Our girls made the commitment to be part of the team and are now madly endeavouring to raise the money for airfares” said Peter Joseph. My wife and I are covering accommodation, food, and the other costs” he said.

The teams focus had been on preparing for an international 7’s tournament in Rome in early June, and, although those arrangements have been disrupted, the preparations are continuing.

The Aotearoa team will attend a training camp at Rotorua Girls High School this weekend. It is the only opportunity the players will have to come together to prepare prior to departing for Hong Kong on 24th March. The players making up the training squad for Rome will also participate in the camp and the two squads will play three games of sevens on Sunday afternoon.

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