(BASED ON A PRESS RELEASE) — The Pacific Rugby Cup Championship title for 2011 may have slipped from Samoa A’s reach against the Fiji Warriors at Lautoka Park this year, but Samoa is more determined to put an end to the three year drought which saw the championship title stay with Fiji.

For the past 6 weeks, Samoa A  training squad of 45 players has been undergoing strength and fitness conditioning training as well as weekly games, as part of the team’s preparation for the PRC legs in Australia and New Zealand.

Prior to the start of the official PRC Tournament Samoa A will play two warm up games against the Waratahs Franchise on the 10th of February and Sydney University on the 18th February.

Samoa Rugby Union High Performance Resource Coaches are currently responsible for the preparation and selection of a 30 man final squad for the PRC Tournament.

The Australian leg draw released recently sees Samoa A first game against Brumbies Academy on the 24th of February at Canberra Academy, second game against Waratahs Academy on the first of March and the Reds on the 5th of March 2012.

The second leg in New Zealand sees Samoa A faces Chiefs on the 10th of March, Islanders on the 15 and 19th against Hurricanes.

The format follows from this year’s structure where A teams from Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga taking on the academy teams from  super rugby teams in 3 separate legs –Australian Leg in February, New Zealand Leg in March and the Pacific Island leg in October .

The new format structure introduced this year takes the International Rugby Board to a new level designed to bridge the gap between domestic and international rugby for the best locally based players from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa exposing Pacific Island Players and Management to some of the best professional rugby structures in the world.

Pacific Rugby Cup Tournament is a key element of the IRB’s global strategic investment program aimed at improving the competitiveness of the global game.

(Source: Samoa Rugby Union)