Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu
The Samoan rugby player who took on the IRB via Twitter appeared before them today.
Campbell Live has taken a look at whether the issues raised by Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu have any factual basis.
If we set aside his language and consider his overall argument, he suggests the IRB favours rugby’s richest nations.
Sapolu claimed Rugby World Cup schedules were an example, being tougher on smaller countries.
There were seven teams who played consecutive games with only three clear days between them; Canada, Georgia, Namibia, Romania, Samoa, Scotland and the USA. All of them are ranked outside the top eight.
But what about the bosses? How many people from outside the six nations and Tri Ntions countries are on the IRB’s executive committee?
The number of representatives from Argentina, Canada, Fiji, Georgia, Japan, Namibia, Romania, Russie, Samoa, Tonga and the USA on the 10-man executive committee of the IRB is zero.
What about Sapolu’s comments about refereeing?
Let’s look at the ref panel:
At the Rugby World Cup, the number of regerees from Argentina, Canada, Fiji, Georgia, Japan, Nabiai, Romania, Russia, Samoa, Tonga and the USA is zero.
What about the big countries as individuals? How much direct support do they give the smaller guys?
Let’s look at New Zealand:
- In all rugby history, the All Blacks have played Australia a grand total of 142 times.
- The All Blacks have played South Africa 83 times.
- The All Blacks have played Samoa a grand total of 5 times.
- Perhaps most strikingly, in the entire history of the two nations, the All Blacks have never played in Samoa. Not even once. They’ve never played in Tonga either.
Of course, the IRB does pour large sums of money in the so calls minnow nations.
In fact, they keep rugby afloat in many of those countries.
But would Samoa, Tonga and other poorer countries need so much IRB charity if the big countries chose to play there from time to time?
The IRB declined Campbell Live’s invitation to appear on the programme.
Mihingarangi Forbes was there for the IRB’s judiciary hearing with Sapolu this afternoon then, Campbell Live spoke to Rugby World Cup 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden, to ask whether the tournament schedule was fair.
Watch the video