Samoan rugby was declared "bankrupt" by the country's prime minister before tests against Scotland on Saturday and England later this month, according to Chris Jones of the BBC. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, who is also chair of the Samoa Rugby Union, "asked the public to donate money to keep the sport alive." The news "puts pressure on other nations -- England in particular -- to share revenues from games with the Samoans." Host countries "are currently under no obligation to split gate receipts" (BBC, 11/8). In London, Jack de Menezes reported the Rugby Football Union will make a "goodwill payment" of £75,000 ($98,400) to the SRU after it was "declared bankrupt." Malielegaoi "confirmed that there is not enough money for the players to be paid" for this autumn’s tests, and also added that they "could not even be insured for the games" because the union is "bankrupt." The shortage of money among the Pacific Islands -- in particular Samoa -- "has been common knowledge" for a number of months, "yet little has been done to help filter the large amounts of money that are in the game" down to the smaller tier-two nations. The offer of £75,000 is less than 10% of what the RFU generates from home tests at Twickenham, with a sum of around £10M ($13.1M) generated when England plays at home (INDEPENDENT, 11/8). In Edinburgh, Gareth Black reported England players "are said to be due match fees in the region" of £22,000 ($29,000), compared to around £650 ($852) for Samoa players. England internationals Mako Vunipola and Manu Tuilagi, who were born in Tonga and Samoa, respectively, have urged teammates to "make a gesture of their own by giving some of their match fee to their Pacific Island opponents" (SCOTSMAN, 11/8).
