‘Hard work pays off’: Fa’aofonu’u Junior Leota speaks on Sāmoa’s tag journey

Fa’aofonu’u Junior Leota is leading the growth of tag in Sāmoa, drawing on lessons from rugby and business to guide the next generation of athletes.

The former rugby player is currently the President of Sāmoa Tag Incorporated.

A proud Sāmoan, Fa’aofonu’u has also built gym and hospitality businesses, while also devoting himself to developing tag at a national level.

This year, Sāmoa made history by competing for the first time as a standalone Pacific nation at an International Tag Federation tournament.

The national delegation of 93 players, coaches, managers and support staff travelled to Australia for the International Tag Series (ITS) competition, battling it out in five divisions.

Sāmoa’s Men’s Under-20s team reached the grand final and finished runners-up in their first appearance, while the Men’s and Women’s Open teams reached the quarter-finals.

The tournament also provided local players the chance to compete against some internationally recognised teams, including Great Britain, Malta, Cambodia and the Philippines.

Speaking to Pacific Huddle host Tuilagi William Leolahi, Fa’aofonu’u says his values from his rugby career now shape his leadership in the boardroom.

He says they instil in their athletes the old adage “hard work pays off”, something Fa’aofonu’u carried when he used to play. He adds tag’s impact extends beyond the field as he is working with Otago University to create education opportunities for Sāmoan athletes.

Listen to Fa’aofonu’u Junior Leota’s full interview below.

“Where we can exchange not only sports, but also academics,” Fa’aofonu’u says. “That's probably one of the visions, not just sport, is making sure they've got something to fall back after tag or whatever sport they're playing.

“Whether you come to play tag or you go somewhere else then come back and play tag, everyone is the same. There's an opportunity there for you to head down to Otago. We’ll try and create that space for our local athletes.”

However, challenges remain within the sport. Fa’aofonu’u says they are constantly competing against rugby union, rugby league, soccer and netball for funding.

He says some athletes who transition to tag from rugby union or league do not realise these uphill battles exist in their new code.

“Tag is not an expensive sport, but when we travel, there are always fees, uniforms and other costs. Luckily, we have supportive businesses here, and our government has been good to us over the years.”

Fa’aofonu’u says transforming tag from a social game to a competitive platform is central to his vision. He sees a lot of rugby sevens and rugby union players transition to tag to represent Sāmoa.

“We're hoping other cultures can pick up on tag players there to represent them."

Looking ahead, Fa’aofonu’u wants his legacy to be one of care and respect, and that ultimately “we want everyone to enjoy tag”.

“Those are the values back in our days that were instilled in us, and we’re instilling it back in these young athletes,” he says. “That's the legacy - we want them to be able to know that we were here, we cared for them, and we trust and believe in their ability and talent to represent Sāmoa.

“Not only in tag, but maybe in another career as well. We embrace all those challenges and we cherish them, and hopefully we make sure we have looked after them the best way we can.”