Transcript
The Samoa Rugby Union CEO Faleomavaega Vincent Fepulea'i says the playing surface at Apia Park was signed off by World Rugby three days before kick-off but, ultimately, the weather did not work in their favour.
"We worked closely with World Rugby and the Samoan Sport Facilities Authority, which is the stakeholders that owns Apia Park, so we put in a plan straight after the Pacific Games to try and turn around the pitch, which recovers quite quickly. They finally signed it off on the Wednesday before the match on Saturday but unfortunately there was a heavy downpour the night before and just about when the match was about to start...it dug up quite quickly."
Manu Samoa coach Steve Jackson was happy enough to come away with the win on Saturday but admits Apia Park is in need of some much-needed TLC.
"Probably the right decision was made in the end to continue the game," he said. "I don't think any team would have wanted the game to be abandoned - I think it just means that hopefully Apia Park gets an upgrade. They've had some games on it, they had the league and then rugby and it's sort of never been able to get the growth of the grass back so hopefully they put a bit of work into that and we get it right being the only fixture we've got at home this year anyway."
Samoa's Minister for Sport, Loau Keneti Sio, says the pitch at Apia Park is situated on swampy land and the government wants to build a new home of rugby on the other side of town.
"So we are planning to move down to where the (other) sports facilities are at Tuanaimato and hopefully we can build a big stadium there for rugby alone and leave Apia Park. The area is just a swampy area, so we can't just fix it when we come into bad weather but yes of course we are concerned with it and we are having planning so that we can push through the cabinet where we can move down to Tuanaimato going forward."
Apia Park was built in 1924 and last underwent extensive renovations four years ago, prior to hosting the test between Manu Samoa and the All Blacks as well as the Youth Commonwealth Games.
Loau Keneti Sio, himself a former Manu Samoa international, expects a new stadium will take two years to build and says if the government is able to get a plan into action soon it could be ready by 2022.
"It was a thought we've had for a while now, especially with the conditions of Apia Park when it comes to a rainy season so with the facilities down here that we have all the sports down here at Tuanaimato now so building a stadium there will actually bring the attentions and the other way that we have a lot of access to Tuanaimato rather than down at Apia Park with only one access."
Faleomavaega Vincent Fepulea'i says the SRU are fully behind the government's plans to build a new stadium specifically designed for rugby.
"SRU is sitting on 32 acres of land up there and it's always been the long-term plan of the Union to have a stadium up there and considering what had happened over the last month I think that conversation has now become a priority for the government and also the rest of the stakeholders to seriously look at a stadium up at where the Samoa Rugby Union is located."
Loau Keneti Sio says Samoa plans to ask New Zealand for help in funding the new stadium but will also look to China if their Pacific neighbours are unable to assist.
