Samoa's task of attending the next Rugby World Cup may be about to become much tougher with access to their best players for qualifying matches now expected to be extremely challenging.
World Rugby is considering shifting Samoa's qualifying match from the June international window to July/August – a move which would place the Pacific Island nation's World Cup prospects in a precarious position.
Much of Samoa's international playing resources are based in Europe. During the June window clubs are duty bound to release players for international duty. However, outside these designated windows, clubs hold all the power, given they pay the players' wages.
Samoa was set to face Spain or Portugal for a place at the 2019 World Cup in Japan but World Rugby has launched an investigation into reports of Belgium and Romania fielding ineligible players in earlier RWC qualifying rounds.
If replays of the affected matches are allowed, it will delay the final qualifier involving Samoa from June until July/August.
The latest controversy surrounds a Tongan-born centre who played for Romania and a French-born hooker who played for Belgium.
Sione Faka'osilea qualified for Romania through residency, but played one World Series tournament for Tonga's national sevens team back in 2013, ruling him ineligible for his adopted country.
Victor Paquet represented France up to under-19 level and reportedly claimed a Belgian great grandmother, but only the birth nation of a grandparent or parent provides eligibility under World Rugby regulations
At this stage, World Rugby has convened an emergency committee to investigate, before determining what steps to take next.
Several leading Pacific Island figures have spoken out against the possible shifting of Samoa's match.
Former Tasman and Crusaders midfielder Kieron Fonotia, now playing for Welsh club Ospreys, is but one Samoan player likely to be affected. Others include Tim Nanai-Williams, Jack Lam, Alapati Leiua, TJ Ioane, Chris Vui, Sinoti Sinoti, Ahsee Tuala and Motu Matu'u.
"I don't understand why Samoa should be punished over other people's mistakes and not being able to pick from a core group of professional rugby players in the UK/Europe," Fonotia tweeted. "If we miss out on the World Cup over this it is a JOKE! I know who I'd rather watch out of all these teams."
The worst case scenario could see Samoa forced to field a team comprising amateur players based in the small Island nation.