Samoa rugby union

Samoa seat a World Rugby 'smokescreen'

Samoa Rugby Union (SRU) chief executive Faleomavaega Vincent Fepulea'i confirmed to RNZ Pacific that Samoa's bid for a council seat had been successful.

He said the World Rugby Council would ratify the decision at next month's Executive Committee meeting, with SRU chair and Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi to occupy Samoa's seat at the next World Rugby Board meeting in May.

SRU coaching change an attempt to mend relationship with World Rugby

Fuimaono Titimaea Tafua was appointed to a second stint in charge in September last year, against the wishes of the world governing body, who refused to pay his salary.

But the controversial appointment has been effectively shown the door by the SRU after a return of just two wins from seven tests.

The General Manager of High Performance for the SRU, Zane Hilton, said results have not been good enough and if they're to be competitive at the World Cup they need to access much needed funding.

Samoa Rugby Union updates constitution

A consultant from Australia, hired by the World Rugby, worked with the union to amend the constitution, with the changes passed at a meeting on Monday.

Faleomavaega said under the new constitution, which will become effective in September at the union's Annual General Meeting, only three board members would be elected to represent provincial unions, two from Upolu and one from Savaii islands.

A women's representative, a marketing officer and a legal advisor would also take a seat in the boardroom, he said.

Manu Samoa 7s captain stood down for disciplinary reasons

Upon arrival, Alatasi will front the Samoan Rugby HPU Integrity Unit.

“SRU expects high standard of conduct from all players and management representing our country with a zero tolerance of any misconduct within any Manu Samoa team,” said HPU General Manager, Zane Hilton.

“We have made contact with our MS 7s management to stand him down until further notice. He will arrive in the country by the end of the week and will front the Samoan Rugby HPU Integrity Unit for his disciplinary hearing,” Hilton said in a statement issued by SRU today.

Zane Hilton is new General Manager of High Performance for Samoa rugby

Chief Executive Officer Faleomavaega Vincent Fepuleai welcomed Hilton's appointment, which followed a wide search to recruit for the newly vacated position. "If we are to realise our goal of developing locally based players, who make up the majority of our national teams, and then to be successful on the international stage, then we need someone of Zane's experience to help us achieve that," Faleomavaega said.

Samoa Rugby Union hosts China Rugby Football Association delegation

SRU Chairman and Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said the announcement was delayed to coincide with the first official visit by the CRFA officials.

“The MOU between SRU and CRFA represents the continuous close relationship between China and Samoa. Amongst China’s immense contribution in Samoa includes assistance in our sports facilities and naturally this has extended our mutual partnership with close establishment of means to both explore and share resources and commercial opportunities through the sport of rugby.”

22 players contracted for Samoa 7s

Alatasi Tupou will skipper the Manu Samoa sevens, while former captains Faalemiga Selesele and Tila Mealoi are among the team's experienced core.

Fifteen of the contracted players are based in Samoa while the other six play their club rugby in New Zealand.

Fourteen of them have also been selected for the opening two rounds of the Sevens World Series in Dubai and Cape Town, which gets underway next weekend.

Contracted players:

World Rugby says SRU not bankrupt

Earlier this month the Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, who is also the Samoa Rugby Union chairman said the union was bankrupt and unable to pay players' wages or pay off their debts.

World Rugby says the union is not bankrupt and that recent statements made by the chairman of the SRU questioning World Rugby's funding package are inaccurate.

Samoa PM defends SRU on World Rugby stoush

Fuimaono Titimaea Tafua was awarded the job in September following the resignation of Namulauulu Alama Ieremia.

RNZ Pacific understands Fuimaono was ranked last of the seven shortlisted candidates interviewed by an independent panel.

But the SRU Board, of which Fuimoano was a member, opted to appoint him to a second stint in charge, despite the panel recommending another candidate.

World Rugby deny Samoa claims they can't pay or insure players

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, who is also chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union (SRU), said this week that the organisation is "bankrupt".

He also said that there was no money to pay for player insurance and the head coach's salary ahead of matches against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday and England at Twickenham two weeks later.

A World Rugby statement, however, said the sport's governing body had increased their indirect investment in the SRU's high-performance programme to about $3 million in 2017.