EXCLUSIVE: Samoan president accuses players of drinking culture

By NEALE HARVEY
Samoa‘s players have again been left raging after a rant from the country’s president and Rugby Union chairman, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, accused them of not training hard enough and hinted at a drinking culture in the squad.
In a multi-pronged attack, Malielegaoi also took aim at World Rugby (formerly the IRB), accusing it of inflaming recent tensions, as well as the four Home Unions, which he said should be merged under a ‘Great Britain’ banner.
As revealed by The Rugby Paper on November 13, Samoa’s hard-pressed stars have been demanding action over a range of issues including team selection, financial transparency, match fees, travel and grass roots development back home.
They threatened to strike for the autumn Test against England, but relented when World Rugby arranged meetings to address the issues. But Malielegaoi failed to show, preferring instead to dismiss the players’ demands as “childish”. Now he has gone further, accusing them of being “losers” and questioning their professionalism.
In a poorly-worded release on government-headed paper dated December 1, a copy of which has been obtained by The Rugby Paper, Malielegaoi said of the Samoan players: “The problem is, they talk to players in Tier One countries and think they should be paid the same allowances. Samoa is a Tier Two Rugby Nation…Tier One nations generate a lot more money than we do.
“Sponsorships do not give us much money. Just peanuts to what we actually need. And if the team continues on a losing streak, it makes it more difficult for the Union.
“Sponsors put their money in a winning brand because winning teams have high profiles and allows them to sell their merchandise. But if we win one game then lose the next four, no sponsor wants to be associated with losers.
“So if the players want to attract more sponsorships to raise pay, they have to continue winning matches. It means players must train all the time, and stop drinking.”
Samoa’s players have reacted angrily and next year’s planned Test against New Zealand is under threat.
One senior player told TRP: “The All Blacks Test certainly needs to be questioned if things don’t shift. Should the All Blacks reward Samoa’s current regime with a Test in Apia? I don’t think so.”
Malielegaoi accused World Rugby of inflaming November’s tensions, saying: “I wrote to the players, explained our positions and the matter was quickly resolved. But it erupted when someone in the IRB leaked the players’ letter in the build-up to the England Test. So obviously there’s a witch who leaked it for dubious reasons.”
Malielegaoi then rounded on the Home Unions, adding: “Rugby is probably the only sport where one country – Great Britain – have four international teams in the top ten and its four Unions are represented on the IRB board – giving them the edge in IRB decisions especially on the question of player eligibility.
“ The IOC said you only get one Sevens team – Great Britain. Which is the right decision and should be replicated in international 15s.”