From all reports Fa’amanu Brown experienced a whole range of emotions during what was a happy homecoming of sorts on a recent visit to Samoa with a delegation from the NRL.
Chosen for his status as an NRL player, the fact that with a long-term injury he wasn’t required at weekly training sessions and games, as well as because of his heritage, Brown proved to be the perfect fit when the NRL spread some rugby league goodwill Samoa.
Raised in New Zealand but with Samoan parentage, Brown travelled as a part of the Pacific Outreach Program.
The group visited four schools and over 2,500 kids, running clinics and delivering messages around active and healthy lifestyle, with Brown playing an active and significant role.
As explained by John Wilson, Pacific Programs Manager for the NRL, they also ran a session with the elite Resident teams, with Samoa to play Tonga in the coming weeks and met the Australian High Commissioner to Samoa Sue Langford.
“Nu’s maturity and knowledge will have definitely made an impact on the next generation of hopefuls,” Wilson said. “Nu was a great ambassador for the game and the Cronulla Sharks and definitely has a future in working with Pacific communities should he choose for that to one day be his path.”
The trip also included a women’s rugby league promotional event and while somewhat nervous in anticipation of what the visit would bring before departing Australian shores, Brown went on to thoroughly enjoy the experience.
“It’s a blessing for me to be back in my home country in Samoa. It’s been a dream come true for me and I’ll never forget this experience,” Brown said. “I didn’t want to come home.”
In covering off on the Outreach Program visit to Samoa, WT media produced a special video.
That video, featuring Brown and his time in Samoa, is now available and now playing on Sharks TV.
