IRB clamp down on Samoan foul play
The International Rugby Board clamped down on foul play in the Pacific Cup tournament this week.
Four players from Samoa were handed bans for various acts of foul play.
Five players from the Samoa A team were cited, following the Pacific Cup match between Argentina Pampas and Samoa A in Canberra on Tuesday (March 11).
The Pampas selection continued their winning form with a well-earned victory, 38-24, over Samoa A. Argentina's winning streak now includes the scalps of Samoa A, NSW Gen Blue and ACT A.
Judicial officer Stuart Pilkinton handed out a variety of sanctions.
Tila Mealoi was handed a two-week suspension, following a red card; Afioae Maiava was handed a two-week ban with one week suspended; Maselino Paulino was handed a two-week suspension and Ausetalia Vaiomanu was also banned for two weeks.
The IRB statement did not clarify the nature of any of the offences.
Misioka Timoteo was also cited, but it was dismissed and he is free to continue playing.
Manu Samoa coach Stephen Betham, who is with the Samoa A team, believed that the physicality of the game was a credit to the passion of both teams.
"We didn't expect anything less," Betham said of the encounter.
"We knew whoever won this game would get the upper hand in the pool.
"Full credit to them they gave it to us right from the start and we were slow to get off the mark.
"We tried to avoid contact as much as possible.
"We knew the Argentinians were heavy up front and we tried to move them around a bit but credit to them, they ran at us a few times too as well and we didn't handle it as well as we thought we would have."
