Frank Pritchard played for New Zealand at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup before captaining Toa Samoa in 2017.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Frank Pritchard is the new Head Coach for Fetu Samoa, Samoa’s national women’s rugby league team.
Rugby League Samoa said the former Kiwi and Toa Samoa representative replaces Jamie Soward, who resigned last month.
The duo had previously worked together for the past three years, lifting Fetu Samoa from 24th to 4th position in the International Rugby League rankings.
Pritchard played in the National Rugby League competition for Penrith Panthers from 2003 to 2010, before he joined the Canterbury Banktown Bulldogs for the 2011-2015 seasons.
He joined the Super League in England in 2016 and helped Hull FC claim the Challenge Cup that year.
A brief stint with the Paramatta Eels in 2017 also saw Pritchard bid farewell to his NRL career, before he took up coaching duties with Samoa Rugby League.
He played 27 Test matches for the Kiwis, including appearing at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, before switching to Toa Samoa for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
Pritchard will now lead the Samoans in their 2026 Rugby League World Cup campaign.
Rugby League Samoa said the World Cup campaign will be huge for Fetu Samoa “and we are all excited to see our women represented at the highest level”.
Samoa are pooled with Australia, England and Wales in Pool A.
They kick off their campaign against the Australian Jillaroos at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium on 16 October.
Wales will be their next opponent on 21 October, before their final pool clash against England in Wollongong on 30 October.
Pool B features New Zealand, France, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
The top two teams from each pool will progress to the semifinals.
Meanwhile, PNG is yet to confirm their new coach, to replace Tahnee Norris, who also resigned from the post in December.
Former Kumuls captain and NRL player David Mead had told the media in PNG in early January he was interested in the position.