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'Breeding farms' - Incensed Samoan PM the latest to launch broadside on World Rugby greed

By Chris Jones
England played Samoa in 2017

Samoa’s Prime Minister has attacked World Rugby’s plans to launch a Nations Championship insisting the proposed structure will mean the Pacific Islands nations will remain as merely “breeding farms” for larger rugby countries.

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Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, who is also chairman of Samoa Rugby, is no stranger to controversy and his comments come as World Rugby chiefs assemble in Dublin to discuss controversial plans for a 12 nation competition that is unlikely to feature Fiji, Tonga and Samoa in the top flight.

Tuilaepa told TVNZ it was clear World Rugby’s supposed development of tier two nations is nothing but hypocrisy and lip service.

“The inclusion of Italy and the United States, who are not in the top 12 world rankings, clearly points to greed and selfishness,” he said. “This new concept will treat Tier 2 unions as mere breeding farms for the rich 12 to pick and choose players from.”

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Tuilapa says he is disappointed with the “lackadaisical attitude” of the All Black and Wallabies management as island players have contributed so much to the development of their game and is calling for major changes, including the easing of eligibility rules, gate-sharing of takings and setting up a Tribunal by law to adjudicate on contentious issues.

World Rugby has insisted no firm decisions have yet been made about the proposed world league competition with tomorrow’s Dublin meeting involving representatives from all tier-one nations, along with Fiji, Japan. However, the concept is in danger of collapse with the Six Nations organisation, also based in Dublin, being offered more than £500m by CVC for a 30 percent stake in the annual tournament reducing the financial need to take part in World Rugby’s new competition.

World Rugby have responded to Tuilaepa’s comments by making it clear promotion and relegation is part of the Championship structure allowing Tier 2 nations to rise up the ladder.

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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