All Blacks may never return to Samoa

All Blacks Coach Steve Hansen is titled Chief of the village of Viala during a ceremony in the village on the island of 'Upolu, Samoa. Photo / Dean Purcell.

As the All Blacks departed Apia today -- farewelled from their hotel by traditional songs -- there was no clarity of when they might, if indeed, ever return to Samoa.

The whole business of another visit has been fudged, gently rebutted with non-committal statements that appear designed to keep expectations low.

Perhaps that's a canny move -- under promise and over deliver -- but more likely it should be taken at face value.

New Zealand Rugby don't appear to have a burning desire to be back any time soon. There's no money to be made in the Pacific and, from a NZR perspective, the prospect of taking the All Blacks to far flung lands that have bigger economies sits higher up their immediate agenda.

As a comparison, the extra test the All Blacks played in Tokyo in 2013 netted $850,000 and the game in Chicago last year brought about $1 million. The financial details of the Apia game aren't known but it's probable it was a cost-neutral exercise for NZR.

That lack of financial incentive is largely why NZR aren't talking up a return visit and it is also why the Islands haven't been extended an invitation to join Super Rugby.

"We have said all along we will keep an open mind to how we expand Super Rugby, because we have got Fiji, Samoa, Tonga the west coast of the USA and other destinations in South-East Asia that are keen," says NZR chief executive Steve Tew.

"We remain really open but the reality is the logistics and economics of bringing any more teams in have to be worked through and we are about to launch a competition [next year] with a new Argentinian and Japanese side. That is our focus right now."

And without entry into Sanzar's competitions -- Super Rugby or Rugby Championship -- Samoa and the other Pacific Island nations are effectively locked out of opportunities to play the best sides.

The All Blacks are obliged to play three June tests in New Zealand and three November tests in the Northern Hemisphere as well as the Rugby Championship.

In recent years, they have added a fourth test to their November tour -- but typically that has been 'on the way' to Europe and under lucrative financial terms.

A trip to the Islands in November would require the All Blacks to return to Auckland before heading to Europe and not deliver any added revenue.

A test in Apia this year was made possible by the World Cup scheduling -- the All Blacks having a longer-than-usual break between Super Rugby ending and the Rugby Championship starting. Such a window isn't likely to open again until the next World Cup in 2019 and that might be how long the Islands -- whether it be Samoa, Tonga or Fiji -- have to wait before the All Blacks return.

"One of the reasons it hasn't happened before is just trying to squeeze it into the calendar," says All Blacks coach Steve Hansen. "It is extremely difficult. The Lions are trying to get a warm-up game up on the way down for their tour in 2017 and they can't find a space in their schedule and we are the same.

"Every country is battling to be able to get game time. I am sure it will happen again, but I am not sure when it will happen again because I am not sure of the scheduling of test matches.

"If we did come back, there are two things we have learned. Now that they have got lights, we would like to play at night and playing in a white jersey might not be a bad idea either."