'I can't specify what happened but there were talks that if something didn't change, the players were going to have to do something'
Virtually since William Webb Ellis first scooped up a ball and ran with it, the Pacific Islands have given so much to rugby and got so scandalously little in return. Fiji, Tonga and Samoa bestow upon us heroes and wizardry. Their people teach us lessons in humility and kinship that we easily discard in our affluent western world. But these joyous little archipelagos have long been pillaged by the sharks of the top tier, low-hanging fruit for cowboy agents, and besieged by crooked administrators pocketing what they can and leaving poverty and destruction in their wake.
Nasi Manu, the hulking Tonga back row, has had enough of this caper. He has decided to stick his head above the parapet and shed light on the risible governance and exploitation of his countrymen. Manu does this not for personal gain, but to share the Tongan struggle with the rugby community in the hope that those who follow are spared the hardship of his peers.
“When we go play for Tonga, we have different worries,” he told RugbyPass. “I don’t just worry about playing my best rugby. Sometimes it’s about, will we have enough kit, will we have enough money? Worries about hotels, food, travel – logistics. These are worries that, as a professional player, you just should not have.
“I don’t have all the answers, but what I would like is maybe in November, a game against a tier one nation (outside the World Cup, Tonga have had five Tests against tier one teams since 2013 – all away from home). No one ever seems to want to share their ticket sales, but maybe we could get a cut of that. We played the All Blacks in September and the Tongan Rugby Union got money, but we’re not seeing it, it’s not filtering down to the players.
“From what the boys talk about, World Rugby are impatient with Tonga and our board specifically because they have given them plenty of opportunities with funding. And the reason I’m happy to talk about this is because nothing will change if it’s not out there. I feel sorry for the Tongan players and coaches.”
At the World Cup in Japan, Tongan players were paid £300 per game, a mere £12,700 less than their pool counterparts England were reported to earn each fixture (which itself is roughly half what they get during the Six Nations). Frequently, the money did not arrive on time.
Manu will not betray team confidence, but hints strongly that had the leadership group not acted to cool fraying tempers, a mutiny was imminent over the pitiful and tardy match fees. It fuelled an adversarial narrative of players versus board. “I can’t specify what happened but there were talks that if something didn’t change, the players were going to have to do something about it,” Manu explained.
“We should never be having those conversations as players. I should be focusing on learning my roles that week, doing my homework on opposition. Of course, we want to play for our country and represent our families, but we need to look after those families and we shouldn’t have these burdens.
“It’s really sad. My club Benetton were still paying me, I had security, but we had players who were not professional – one guy is a scaffolder by trade and makes more money scaffolding back in New Zealand than he does playing international rugby. If he’s not getting paid, who is going to pay his rent?
“These young guys are so excited to be at a World Cup at such a young age and they are worrying about providing for their kids back at home. We obviously don’t do it for the pay. We don’t want heaps of money, but more than £300 a week at a World Cup, the pinnacle of the game, and for it to be paid on time.”
In the months leading up to the tournament, sickening stories emerged from France, allegations that Island players were being financially incentivised – bullied is probably a fairer term – by their clubs to skip the global showpiece. In some cases, it was claimed, Top 14 sides threatened wage cuts if players defied them.
Fiji Rugby would like to congratulate fellow Pacific Brother @Nasi_Manu on his spectacular return to test Rugby following a battle with testicular cancer.. Playing in Tonga's #RWC19 match v England.
Wananavu na vakaitavi, vanuinui Vinaka ena vo ni qito ?? pic.twitter.com/6yzAaTZocW
— Fiji Rugby Union (@fijirugby) September 23, 2019
Manu believes these revolting tales are true, despite being a clear breach of World Rugby laws. If they are, it’s a gross affront to the sport that a player should miss pulling on the colours of his country on the grandest stage of all because of the wickedness of his employer.
“At that World Cup, there are so many more players out there that could have played had we had better organisation for Tonga,” he said. “We definitely had a few pull out late because of their priority to get paid by their clubs. Some guys are taking pay cuts from their club, which I know is illegal, but some of those French clubs offer the boys a bit more if they stay.
“Clubs are now being smarter and getting it put in contracts that they have the option to do that if they decide. So we definitely don’t have the best players available playing. That’s all we want – a chance for Tonga to have our best XV. It’s already hard enough with the small population – we just want our best players available for the Tongan team.”
Thanks for capturing a special moment. A dream come true to play in a @rugbyworldcup . Onwards and upwards for us @officialTongaRU https://t.co/YmXX11zBbT
— Nasi Manu (@Nasi_Manu) September 22, 2019
For all of the tumult and anxiety of Japan, the World Cup was a deeply poignant pilgrimage for Manu, a New Zealand-born Super Rugby-winning co-captain with the Highlanders who was widely reckoned unlucky never to become an All Black. His fight against testicular cancer – a battle he won – is well-documented.
Tonga’s opening pool match against England was his first competitive game since being diagnosed in September of 2018. That day, he was supposed to be playing for Benetton in their first Guinness PRO14 fixture of the season against the Dragons. Instead, an Italian doctor, in very broken English, managed to explain that “you have what Lance Armstrong had”.
Those words hit Manu harder than any rival forward ever could. Five hours before kick-off, he was on an operating table having the testicle removed and would undergo four rounds of crippling chemotherapy to rid his body of the disease that had begun spreading to his lymph nodes. In the depths of a nausea-riddled stupor, his daily goal was to lumber from the bed to the sofa, so his infant daughter Nadia could be with her father.
“I felt like spewing up the whole time,” he volunteered. “When you’re in the hurt box, it’s like when you go for a run and you’re at that level when you just go numb, the mind is too busy hurting. With how sick I was feeling, I moved from the bed to the couch just to be around Nadia. If I’m going to be really sick, at least I can be in the same room so she can see that I’m okay. My priority was to get back to full health to be a father and a husband. I didn’t even think about rugby.”
The treatment, mercifully, was successful. Buoyed by the tremendous swell of support from across the game, Manu was allowed to train and play again. He dared not dream of fulfilling his boyhood ambition of gracing a World Cup, not even when Tonga coach Toutai Kefu told him he’d made the squad, not until the very moment his name was called on the Sapporo Dome touchline and he was brought off the bench to face the might of the English.
“I felt like I’d forgotten how to prepare. It was probably the worst game day I’ve ever had in however many years of playing and however many big games,” he laughed. “In the morning, I packed my bag about five times, forgot all the little things I usually do. During the warm-up when the crowds were coming in, and I could see England warming up, I was so excited that I literally used up all my energy in the warm-up.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3PDP-_phhZ/
“Every 15 minutes the subs would do a warm-up and I would have done I don’t know how many down-ups, sprints, and by the time I actually came to going on, I was buggered. I had used up nearly all my energy with the emotional rollercoaster.”
With wife Alice and little Nadia in the stands, exaltation arrived and tears cascaded. Manu had come thundering out of the darkness and fear that had enveloped the family. To caress the leather of the rugby ball, feel the iron friction of a barbell in his palms, even to clatter into monstrous Englishmen in the cloying heat of Sapporo was glorious salvation.
“Is it strange to say that I’m glad I went through what I have? It’s made me so much stronger; it’s made me a better person,” he said. “Before, I took so much for granted. Now I’m in the present. I appreciate even just training, I’m happy to go into a gym session, feel the camaraderie, see the boys’ faces. I guess I’m just reminded of how lucky I am to do what I do for a living.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5xTWwxCXw6/
“I’m still a normal human being, I still have days where I really struggle, but I can kick myself out of those funks so much faster these days. The experience just kicked me into a gear where I appreciate so much more and I’m happier for it.”
When Italy’s Covid-19 lockdown is over, his contract with Benetton will be up, and the family will fly home to New Zealand and a murky future. These are brutal times for the free agent, particularly a back row the wrong side of 30 with limited recent minutes and a long gamut of injuries.
Manu longs to keep playing a couple more years, but if not, he can live with that. Sickness has taught him to cherish the here and now. He won’t torture himself with anxiety over what might or might not be coming down the tracks. He still wants to don the scarlet of Tonga too, of course. And wherever he goes, whatever awaits him, he will remain a powerful voice for fairness and equality.
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments