Apia Park

Samoa and Tonga turned down chance to play rugby test elsewhere

Manu Samoa beat Tonga 25-17 on Saturday afternoon in wet and muddy ground conditions, which raised questions from players about the decision-making and player safety processes prior to the match.

Pacific Rugby Players' Association CEO Aayden Clarke said players from both teams were briefed about the weather conditions during a training camp in Auckland earlier this month, while officials from World Rugby raised the prospect of playing the game offshore, with no other grounds in Samoa meeting international standard.

'Both teams wanted to play' - World Rugby defends pitch decision in Samoa

The global governing body has come under fire from some quarters after Samoa’s win over Tonga was played in dire weather conditions, with water pooling in some sections of t

Tonga centre Cooper Vuna and second row Sam Lousi have both taken to social media since the game to express their frustrations at what became something of a mudbath.

“Shoutout to World Rugby for signing off the field for us to play on today,” wrote Lousi, who has signed for Pro14 side Scarlets ahead of the new season, on Twitter.

Poor ground conditions a concern for former Manu Samoa lock Daniel Leo

Leo, who is the Player Welfare Manager for Pacific players based in Europe, raised his concern on social media directly to World Rugby about the poor ground set up at Apia Park in Samoa.

Leo made the comment following the PNC clash between Manu Samoa and Tonga.

 Heavy rain had affected the ground conditions and players were covered with mud during the game.
In his tweet today, Leo stated “Would England Rugby, All Blacks, Springboks or any Tier 1 team agree to playing on this? Then why is it acceptable for us poor nations?”

Samoa strike as ill-discipline proves costly for Tonga

Tonga, already hampered by the late withdrawal of the inspirational Nasi Manu, had two players in the sin-bin when Afasetiti Amosa and then Belgium Tuatagaloa swung the game Samoa's way with tries in the closing minutes.

Torrential rain before kick-off reduced Apia Park to a quagmire which impacted on the game as a spectacle despite a willingness by both sides to throw the ball around.

Blues blame venue for Apia flop

The Blues edged the Queensland Reds 34-29 in Apia on Friday but the 8000-capacity stadium was less than half-full, prompting criticism on social media that ticket prices were too expensive.

Outspoken former Samoa international Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu told New Zealand radio that the Blues management were "ignorant" and "arrogant" in their approach to the game in the developing country.