Transcript
TIPI AUTAGAVAIA: The Prime Minister told reporters in his weekly radio interview yesterday the Rugby Union is broke so he doesn't know how to put the situation financially of the Rugby Union. The Union is broke and it's better for the SRU to get up and do something and to make people look at the SRU leading and trying to generate some funds through this radiothon to help the rugby development in the country.
VINNIE WYLIE: Does this show just how desperate the Unions is for funds that they're going cap in hand to the public?
TA: Yes of course, they're begging the public for their financial support in today's radiothon. They did not say how much money they're looking to collect but they need hundreds of thousands of Tala.
VW: At the moment does the SRU not have enough money to pay the players on the Northern Tour, in England and Scotland etc, or to pay the sevens players on the World Series any wages?
TA: Yes that's absolutely the situation right now with the Rugby Union financially.
VW: And so this is not new for Samoa Rugby to be in a difficult financial situation. They obviously get funding from World Rugby but is it not enough or has it just been poorly managed by the Union over the years?
TA: It's just been reported that World Rugby is not giving any funds to this tour but it's early for me to say exactly what reason is behind that but it was in local newspaper reports last weekend, about the financial situation of the Rugby Union so no wonder why our SRU is now asking the public for their financial help, to not only help fund not only the tour and the sevens rugby team.
VW: I guess from the public's point of view I know a lot of fans have been frustrated by the performances, especially of the Samoa fifteens team in recent months. New coach Fuimaono Titimaea Tafua has come back and there's a bit of optimism perhaps or there's some sincere hope that things will improve on this end of year tour, so the fans are already frustrated and now they're being asked to clean up the mess in a way?
TA: Already the fans are so frustrated. If you look on social media the Rugby Union is posting (about) the radiothon drive today but looking at the comments on social media everyone is commenting very negative on the SRU and how they handle the financial situation of the rugby development in the country but Samoans are like that. But I know for sure in today's radiothon people will come in and pledge their money to help the Manu Samoa and the rugby sevens.
