World Cup: Samoan stars back captain's cash claims

Manu Samoa thanking their fans in the crowd at the end of the Fiji Samoa pool match. Photo / Natalie Slade

Samoan Rugby World Cup players are supporting their captain Mahonri Schwalger, after he criticised the Samoa Union for treating the tournament like a "massive holiday".

In a report to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, captain Mahonri Schwalger singled out union vice-chairman Lefau Harry Schuster, chief executive Su'a Peter Schuster, team manager Tuala Matthew Vaea and assistant manager Ryan Schuster for the team's failure in the tournament.

While Tongan and Fijian players received $1,500 each week, Samoan players got paid only $1,000 per week. This is despite the Samoan public raising more than 6.5 million Tala - around NZ $3 million - for the team's Rugby World Cup campaign.

The Le Aliamoana Hotel is owned by the president of Samoa's women's rugby.

She is also on the Samoan Rugby Union board.

On one occasion, Schwalger said the team arrived at a training session to find there were no balls to train with.

"We as a team feel that our preparation was tainted by not having people in vital positions committed to their duties and responsibilities before every game," Schwalger wrote.

Over the past week, the Samoa Observer has run letters from several players in the Samoan squad supporting the criticisms from their captain.

Vice captain Seilala Mapusua said the team were told prior to the tournament they would be the "best prepared, best funded, best resourced Manu Samoa team ever".

However, he said, this was not the case.

"I can say that there was a lot of disruption when it came to preparing for games during the World Cup. Yes this is a Samoan team and, we seem to make the best of any situation but why can we not keep professional standards?"

Tusi Pisi agreed.

"I respectfully support our 'Captain Courageous' and agree there needs to be changes within the SRU and Manu Samoa management. The level of un-professionalism shown was truly unsatisfactory."

Schwalger last night told Campbell Live some Samoan families would have donated a week's food money to the team.

Schwalger called on the union to show where the money went.

"It's sad to see. For me, I don't see any team in the world that can do that. It doesn't happen to any other team. To see the people's money donated in not being used properly - that's a wrong thing to do."

Campbell Live reported that prior to the tournament, the team stayed at the Pasefika Inn in Samoa during the training camp. However the team switched from the Pasefika Inn - which cost them 33,000 Tala for 12 days - to the Le Aliamoana Hotel, 600m down the road - at 174,000 Tala for 15 days.

Samoa Rugby chief executive Peter Schuster told Campbell Live there would be an independent audit into how the money raised by the public was spent.

"We're working on getting all the documentations, etc, [to conduct an audit]."

He insisted the money had been spent appropriately.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Malielegaoi told the Samoa Observer last week after a meeting with Schwalger in Auckland last week that all the roles at the union would be re-advertised, and backed Schwalger's call for a player representative on the board.

He also confirmed Schwalger's allegations of drinking by officials at the tournament.

"Some who are mentioned in the report have a habit we call in Samoa 'faapio le kulilima' (bending elbow)," he said.

"I was invited to the VIP area on the night of the Springbok game and I witnessed the truth."