Samoan boss slams 'little brats'

Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi blasted players who threatened to boycott next week's Test against England as "little brats" who are guilty of "foolish thinking".

Tuilaepa, who is also Chairman of the Samoan Rugby Union, said the threatened boycott was the work of troublemakers within the Samoa team who put money before country.

Samoan players wrote to the International Rugby Board in late October, saying they would not play the November 22 Test against England at Twickenham unless their concerns about the management of the SRU were addressed.

They accused the union of incompetence and a lack of financial transparency and demanded the resignation of senior officials.

"If they don't want to play, then don't come," Sailele said in what news website Talamua described as an agitated national broadcast on his weekly radio programme.

"There are many players here who are looking for an opportunity."

He slammed them for "foolish thinking" and said he had written them letters "addressing them as a father would to kids who don't understand".

He pointedly said his letters had been bilingual as there were players who did not understand Samoan.

"The SRU has no money," he said.

"Cabinet and the Government are not blind to the situation and have always been on the standby to fund Samoan rugby given its importance to the country."

The players letter and threat to strike, he said may have been premature and called the players action "childish".

But the players concerns with management issues and deficiencies have been well known and the players' letter is said to have pinpointed union officials who must go given their impact on the teams progress.

"The distinction is clear cut," said Tuilaepa.

"The players play and deliver good results. The Union provides the funding. If money is more important to some players than playing for their country, then they should let the Union know," he said.

The Manu Samoa players have made the dissatisfaction known and averted a strike but the issues they raised are not new and the discontent has been rumbling for years.

Former Samoa centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu took to Twitter to express his solidarity but also to point out that it was "same old, same old", revealing that the squad had intended to boycott the 2011 World Cup but were talked round at the last minute.

They did refuse to take the field against Australia's Western Force, delaying kick-off by a couple of hours, demanding the Chief Executive resigned.

"If Manu Samoa don't boycott, nothing will change," Fuimaono-Sapolu tweeted.

The IRB has been strenuous in its efforts to streamline rugby operations in the Pacific Islands. It has pumped in money and set up structures. As much as £9-million has been invested this year alone to the three principal unions – Samoa, Fiji and Tonga.

Manu Samoa began their November series with a 24-13 defeat against Italy last weekend in Ascoli.

These matters have been on their mind according to one player source in The Rugby Paper.

"This has been coming for years. The players have had enough. There is heavy stuff going on. [This] is the only way to make the big-wigs take notice."

Manu Samoa World Cup 2011 Captain Mahonri Schwalger who spoke out the same issues during the World Cup, was quietly dropped and never selected again despite his great form in the last Super 12 competition.

Source: talamua.com

Im glad the Samoan PM said what he said. Now world can see the level of arrogance & ignorance Manusamoa have to deal with #ManuSamoaBoycott

— fuimaono-sapolu (@Eliota_Sapolu) November 14, 2014

But money isnt the issue. Its fairness & competence. "@NZERA1 : Samoa players are such high quality, pay should reflect that high standard"

— fuimaono-sapolu (@Eliota_Sapolu) November 14, 2014

@Eliota_Sapolu The Prime Minister showed all the class of a kindergarten bully in the sandpit. #ManuSamoaBoycott

— Bill Blackstone (@SirWB) November 14, 2014

#ManuSamoaBoycott players sacrifice everything for home nation to be called childish for wanting what is fair. Goodluck getting them for RWC

— Nathan Tunupopo (@MrTunupopo) November 14, 2014