Financial pressures and inflexible international regulations are threatening Samoan rugby and the island nation is "begging" for relief, one of its greatest players, Michael Jones, said yesterday.
Jones, who began his international career with Samoa and went on to greatness with the All Blacks, told an audience at the South Pacific Forum that external pressures had left Islands rugby facing an uncertain future.
He was speaking only hours after the Samoan prime minister, rugby union chairman Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, said his nation's plight was so severe it might have to withdraw from international play.
"It's really dire times for Samoan rugby which really came to a [head] with this announcement," said Jones, who is now Samoa's assistant coach.
"Unless some solutions are found Samoan will not be in a position to field a team on the IRB circuit of international rugby," Jones said.
Jones said inequitable revenue sharing and the ability of other nations to control the availability of its players made Samoa a poor relation to the world's top rugby nations.
"Samoans are proud people but they are on their knees begging now for some understanding of their problems," Jones said. "Every day the money is getting more and more scarce."
The Samoan statement earlier yesterday said the impact of professionalism had left all Pacific Island rugby nations in a "desperate financial state." It complained of the IRB's "inability to find solutions.
"As a result of the steadily worsening conditions, SRU is being forced to consider withdrawing from the IRB test schedule and taking up an amateur status," the statement said.
"The decision may, in fact, be taken out of Samoan hands as the union itself may no longer be viable after this year's World Cup."
Jones said one cause of Samoa's decline was the IRB's rigid enforcement of a "one nation for life" policy.
He and many other Samoan players had previously been able to use their dual citizenship to play rugby for both Samoa and New Zealand.
Young Samoan players, many of whom were born in New Zealand, were now being ruled ineligible for Samoa because of the most fleeting association with New Zealand representative teams.
Jones said Samoa was unable to match offers made to young Samoans by Japanese, European or New Zealand teams. In New Zealand those players were often being recruited directly from high school, enticed by the carrot of All Blacks selection.
He said the problem of revenue-sharing within world rugby was another concern for Samoa.
Although Samoan teams, known for their flamboyant style, drew large crowds when they played in Britain they did not share in gates or television rights. When it hosted international teams, it often bore their costs but was unable to meet those costs through revenues.
"There is certainly a financial situation, a financial problem, and there are also some regulations the IRB has put in place which cause these problems," he said.
Former Samoan coach and captain Peter Fatialofa supported Jones' plea.
"We can see our future is starting to fade in terms of our being competitive," he said.
"Tonga and Fiji are in the same boat ... We are struggling, and we need change and if help is not given to Pacific Island people then we will definitely be a team stuck in the past."
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