Blues rugby star Jerome Kaino believes Samoa is capable of having its own permanent Super Rugby team in the future.
The All Blacks loose forward and teammate Steven Luatua are in Samoa this week to promote the first Super Rugby match in the country between the Blues and Queensland Reds.
Steven Luatua and Jerome Kaino are in Samoa to promote the Blues Super Rugby match against the Reds in Apia in June. Photo: RNZI / Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
Samoa will be celebrating 55 years of independence in June when the match takes place.
Kaino said he hopes the Samoan crowd will get behind the team.
"I love playing in front of my people. I'm Samoan and I think back to the time when the All Blacks came and played here against the Manu and that was a special time for me, a dream come true, to be able to play in front of your people and your family," he said.
"This is like another step - it's the first Super Rugby game ever to be played here in Samoa and I'm looking forward to hopefully having Samoa support us, support the Blues."
"But not only just playing here but just showing the world that Samoa can hold Super Rugby games and international games and hopefully it's something that we're going to see more of in the future," said Kaino, who was born in American Samoa.
"I truly think that Samoa can hold more Super Rugby games - maybe two or three a year - or even maybe in the future have their own Super Rugby team but I think it's good to be able to show the world that Samoa is capable of holding Super Rugby fixtures like this."
The Blues have the bye this weekend and are currently bottom of the New Zealand conference.
Blues loose forwards Jerome Kaino and Steven Luatua at a signing session in Samoa. Photo: RNZI / Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia