Mum of five Hilisha Samoa back on the field for Reds in Super W

When Hilisha Samoa went to her kit bag during training at Ballymore, she found her boots, her mouthguard, and a baby’s bottle – such is the life of this Reds super mum.

Hilisha Samoa with kids (from left) Evander, 8, Apollo, 3, Licia, 4 months, Monica, 1, and Lennox, 13.

Hilisha Samoa is unsure whether the tag “rugby supermum” fits her stirring comeback after the birth of her fifth child.

“Maybe, ‘Super Crazy Mum’ suits better,” the popular prop said with a broad smile.

Samoa, 34, played her first match in more than two years last Sunday with her energetic showing off the bench in a trial for the Queensland Reds women’s team against Fiji.

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To say life is a juggle is a major understatement.

She recently arrived at Ballymore training to find a baby’s milk bottle had been put in her kit bag beside her boots and mouthguard.

Kids Lennox, 13, Evander, 8, Apollo, 3, Monica, 1, and newborn Licia are part of the reason their proud mum has strapped on the footy boots again.

“I want to stay active and show my kids they can do anything if they put their minds to it,” Samoa said.

Queensland women's rugby player Hilisha Samoa with one-year-old daughter Monica

“The kids still get all their food, drink and attention but now it’s all about being organised so my gear bag is ready and all the school lunches, uniforms and dinners are too.

“No day is ever the same.

“When I first went back to training I had two kids hanging off my legs as I walked out the door but they’ve now got the hang of it.”

Sister Sharlene and a large support group are still needed for Samoa to find the time to train, play and make the drive to Ballymore from Griffin in Brisbane’s north.

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Samoa was a standout for the Wallaroos at the 2017 World Cup in Ireland but motherhood has been her top priority since.

Watching the Reds twice reach the final as Super W grows has been a spur to return for Saturday’s opener against Western Australia in Perth.

“It’s been great watching women’s rugby grow and when the opportunity for a trial came up I thought, ‘why not see how the body goes?’,” Samoa said.

Her family alone guarantees crowd numbers will definitely be up for Super W this season.