Samoa shambles rumbles on

Editor

Tension between the Samoan Rugby Union and the Samoa team is ongoing, after the SRU failed to attend an IRB meeting.

Tension between the Samoan Rugby Union and the Samoa team is ongoing, after the SRU failed to attend an IRB meeting.

Samoa’s players had threatened to go on strike for this weekend’s Test against England over major issues with the SRU’s governance.

In abrasive fashion, the SRU responded with Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi blasting the players as “little kids.”

Efforts are being made with both parties by the IRB, but it appears the ongoing disruption has hit its latest snag.

London Irish and Samoa lock Dan Leo tweeted on Thursday that a schedueld meeting between all three groups had been cancelled due to the SRU failing to attend.

“Today’s IRB meeting is off. The SRU say they “got the dates mixed up”. Typical excuses. Positive change urgently required #SamoaUnited,” said Leo.

“How are you meant to have positive dialogue with an administration that’s in a state of ignorance? #SamoaUnited,” added Leo in a second tweet.

Calls for the SRU’s problematic governance to be addressed have been gathering pace across social networks, using the hashtag featured in Leo’s tweets, including the All Blacks.

Samoa’s players will not strike for this weekend’s Test, after being warned by the IRB that doing so could possibly jeopardise their participation in future Tests, the Rugby World Cup and the Olympics.

Leo later spoke to Planet Rugby to discuss the new developments.