The best teams in Test rugby clash this weekend as the November internationals get into full swing with the likes of World Cup winners South Africa heading to Scotland and Ireland hosting New Zealand.
One country missing from the billing is Samoa. The two-time World Cup quarter-finalists withdrew earlier this year from three scheduled games for this month.
In July, Lakapi Samoa, rugby’s governing body in the Pacific island nation, sent a letter to World Rugby saying it was at risk of bankruptcy if the team’s northern hemisphere tour went ahead.
Photo: AFP
“I was a bit disappointed in hearing that obviously these November Tests are exposure for a lot of players, especially players who haven’t really quite cracked professional rugby,” Samoa prop Paul Alo-Emile told reporters. “I think there is still a lot of undiscovered talent coming from the [Pacific] islands, and a lot of really good young Samoan rugby players coming through.”
“So I just think I was a bit sad for that and also just another opportunity for us to play against some top-level teams on this side of the world,” he said. “I just think it’s just a missed opportunity.”
Off-field issues have haunted the sport in the nation of just 200,000 people since rugby turned professional in the 1990s with fundraising initiatives being organized to pay for Manu Samoa’s overseas trips in the past few seasons.
“It’s been out there for a while that there’s always something wrong with our rugby union community in Samoa,” center U.J. Seuteni said last month. “It’s got to that point that it’s not even a surprise anymore.”
Samoa’s rugby players are based across the world, such as Alo-Emile and Seuteni in France, and the same is the case for those who feature in the 13-a-side rugby league code.
A month ago, the Penrith Panthers swept to Australia’s National Rugby League title, with a backbone of Samoans including national team skipper Jarome Luai.
Unlike the union team, Tao Samoa have traveled north this autumn, losing two Tests to England.
“I think there’s a danger of league taking over,” Seuteni said. “Rugby league has been giving more to the community than what union has been doing for our country.”
Later this month, the Samoa rugby union is holding its annual-general meeting to elect a new president with their next Test matches set for July.
“It’s really put a lot of doubt in my mind whether I’m going to play again,” Alo-Emile said. “I see all those issues happening off field and for me, I love playing for the jersey, I love, representing my family, but is it worth it? Is that sacrifice worth it that I don’t see my kids for a few months and I don’t see my family?”
“And at the moment, the answer’s no,” he added.
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