Welcome home, Luteru Ross Taylor!

By Ulimasao Fata 28 September 2017, 12:00AM

Samoa’s most famous cricket son is home. 

Former Black Caps captain, Luteru Ross Poutoa Taylor, who has roots in Saoluafata through his mother Ann, arrived yesterday. 

He is in the country as a guest for a fundraising dinner to be hosted by the Samoa International Cricket Association (S.I.C.A) to celebrate the Association’s 20th Anniversary.

Luteru is accompanied by another famous son of Samoa and former Black Caps, Murphy Su’a. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi will also speak at the event tonight at The Orator Hotel. 

Speaking to the Samoa Observer yesterday, the 81 test caps for Black Caps is excited to be back home, contributing to the development of the sport.

“Yeah it’s good to be here,” he said.

“The purpose is to come over to promote International Cricket here, obviously myself, my mother being Samoan, it’s nice to come back and promote the game of cricket.

“Hopefully we will raise some good funds from tomorrow’s fundraising dinner to help develop the grassroots level and promote the game of cricket.”

The Samoa International Cricket Association is excited to have both Luteru and Su’a to be part of this event. Salā Stella Siale-Vaea Tangitau, General Manager, Samoa International Cricket, said it is great to have Luteru home.

“Their presence will help for the exposure and help promote the profile of International Cricket within the country,” she said.

She confirmed that while Luteru and Su’a are in Samoa, they would be running clinics with kids in schools and the communities as well as coaching clinics with local club coaches.

“It’s great for cricket especially for the children to see that they can be another Ross Taylor or Murphy Su’a. 

It is not an impossible dream because nothing is impossible in this world if you really want it.”

Luteru Ross Taylor is also hoping to inspire the new generation cricketers to come through.

“I guess anytime you see people representing at the highest level, being Samoan and being proud of that can hopefully inspire a new generation of cricketers to come through,” he said.

“There’s always a career path with rugby or rugby league but hopefully we can inspire a new generation of players to just give the game of cricket a go, given Samoa has lots of talented and athletics people.”

By Ulimasao Fata 28 September 2017, 12:00AM
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