Why Samoa wanted to can AB Test
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:06
The one-off Test between New Zealand and Samoa, scheduled for New Plymouth next Wednesday, September 3, was almost called off.
A report on Yahoo!Xtra said Samoan Rugby Union (SRU) officials debated whether to withdraw from the encounter with the All Blacks due to the weakened state of their national team.
The All Blacks will take on a severely-depleted Samoan, after the Pacific Island side secured the release of just three of its regular players from their professional clubs - the Japanese-based trio of captain Filipo Levi, along with loose forwards George Stowers and Semo Sititi.
The vast majority of the side are signed to professional clubs in the United Kingdom and France.
But as next week's encounter does not fit into the International Rugby Board (IRB) Test window, clubs are under no obligation to release stars for the game.
SRU chief executive Peter Schuster said it would be a huge challenge putting together a side that could be competitive against the All Blacks.
With that in mind, rugby officials had debated the merits in going ahead with the clash.
"We were thinking about it, how are we going to meet the expectation?," Schuster told Yahoo!Xtra.
"That was the difficult part for us.
"We are doing our best to having a team available to compete against New Zealand next week. That is the biggest challenge for us, especially against the All Blacks who have gone from strength to strength.
"[We were thinking] around about three or four weeks ago, exploring other options. But it was a bit late on our behalf because the IRB had already given their approval for sanctioning the game.
"There is nothing much we can do about it now. People have purchased tickets. So it would be hard for us to pull out of it."
Schuster said there was huge disappointment in being forced to field a weakened team against the All Blacks.
But at the same time, he said Samoan officials respected the decisions made by European clubs not to release their star players.
When the Test was belatedly arranged in June, Samoan officials were hopeful that they would be able to select the majority of their European-based stars for the clash.
"We gave the green light to the New Zealand because they were looking for a game," he said.
"They had gone to Tonga and Fiji as well.
"Before we made the decision, most of our guys were available, they were playing in the Pacific Nations Cup. They indicated that they would be fine.
"Unfortunately the players have a say, but the bottom line of the final say are the clubs.
"The organisation that runs the premier competition [in England] indicated that they should give their first priority to their club.
"It is an 'off-game', it is not part of the international schedule that comes out making the clubs release the players.
"We do understand that and respect that."
