Hard-up Samoa hope World Cup shows the money

Cash-strapped Samoa hope the World Cup can help them clinch a global sponsorship deal to fund their international programme and wean them from their dependency on public donations, a top Samoan rugby official has said.

“We are hoping that if we do well in the World Cup it will help us attract a sponsor globally and they will come to the party,” Samoan Rugby Union (SRU) vice-chairman Lefau Harry Schuster told Reuters via telephone from Apia.     

    “If the team does really well then we are going to advertise internationally, because the trend is that our sevens (team) play overseas and our Manu Samoa 15s will not play at home much, they will play overseas mostly also.     

    “We are hoping that sponsorship will raise the profile of the team.”      

    Samoa, a tiny Pacific Island nation of 180000 people, announced itself on the global rugby stage when their team upset Wales 16-13 at the 1991 World Cup, but has struggled to find enough sponsorship to fund international programmes, particularly in World Cup years when warm-up games are vital.      

    This year the union has been forced to approach expatriates for donations and will host several fundraising events in Samoa in a bid to raise almost $2 million to fund the team’s preparations for the Sept. 9-Oct. 23 tournament in New Zealand.     

    The Samoan government has apportioned about $360000 from their 2011 budget, while two main sponsors have kicked in another $420000.      

    The International Rugby Board has allocated about $126000 for technical assistance, meaning the SRU are still short about

$990000.     

    HAND-OUTS     

    “If we get all the money we are seeking we will be able to hold an extended training camp, to play the PNC (Pacific Nations Cup) games (in July) and have them in camp right up ‘til the World Cup,” said Schuster, who is also the President of the Oceania Rugby Federation.     

    “It’s the money to run those games and keep the boys together is what we are looking for (and it) ... will cover everything. If we don’t get that amount we’ll still be coming to the World Cup, but it won’t be ideal preparation.”     

    The team play just one other test match after the Pacific Nations Cup — which includes World Cup participants Japan, Tonga and Fiji — against Australia on July 17 in Sydney before they begin their campaign in Pool D against Namibia on Sept. 14.     

    They have, however, scheduled two matches against Perth-based Super rugby franchise Western Force for Aug. 20 and 27 in Samoa, which they would need to fund and why the union has reached out to Australian and New Zealand expatriates for donations.     

    Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi used the news broadcasts last week to appeal for hand-outs from locals, and would host a luncheon on July 8 to ask for donations from Samoan business leaders.     

    A radio telethon on Aug. 5 and a farewell dinner on Aug. 27 would also offer fundraising opportunities, Schuster said.     

    “It’s always a problem for Tier Two unions. It’s not just us. It’s a problem for Fiji, Tonga, Uruguay.     

    “We will always be in the same boat. It’s because our economies are small and we can’t afford the big bucks to run the team.      

    “We certainly have the athletes, but it’s the money to support the athletes that will always be the problem unless we get a sponsor who is able to fund the programme for the entire year.”