OLD RULES: Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele has attacked rugby’s antiquated revenue-sharing system.

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele has attacked rugby’s antiquated governance and revenue-sharing system as the island powerhouse announced a major sponsorship aimed at taking them to a new level at next year’s World Cup.

Tuilaepa also doubles as chairman of the Samoan Rugby Union, traditionally a cash-strapped organisation with its top players at the mercy of rich clubs and rival countries.

Samoa revealed on Monday a new deal with Australian-based company Cromwell Property Group that should ensure a well-resourced squad for next year’s tournament in England.

The base sponsorship is “significant” but also includes major incentives – $250,000 for reaching the semifinals, $500,000 for making the final and $1m for winning the tournament.

stuff NZ

Samoa has been a regular quarter-finalist at World Cups and Tuilaepa feels the incentive system will suit his players.

Right now, he’s just simply delighted to get major revenue and support.

In a general interview in Auckland as the sponsorship was announced, he made it clear Samoa is frustrated at their treatment.

Like the New Zealand Rugby Union, he believed the gate-taking system disadvantaged Samoan teams when they toured north. All the gate revenues are held by the host unions. With major nations reluctant to tour the islands, there was little chance for any payback.

Tuilaepa estimated one end-of-year tour of Europe by Samoa would make enough money to run the Samoan game for two years.

He believed gate-takings should be a “50-50” sharing arrangement but was being handicapped by a system from “the amateur game”.

He was similarly critical of the governance system of the International Rugby Board (IRB).

The island nations getting one vote under the Oceania banner didn’t reflect their contribution.

The IRB consists of the eight foundations unions each with two seats – Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and France. Argentina, Canada, Italy and Japan each have one seat on the council as do all the regional associations.

Tuilaepa described that as “lop-sided”.

“I don’t know of any organisation that is so unfairly represented,” he said. “World rugby is badly managed.”

He believed England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales should fall under the one banner, as they did four-yearly when they toured as the British & Irish Lions.

He applauded the International Olympic Committee for making them operate as one team when rugby sevens makes its Olympics debut in Rio in 2016.

Samoa and island players in general have had to scatter to survive in the professional era. That has left them vulnerable to rich offshore interests.

Tuilaepa believed the new sponsorship would help Samoa get their top players for the next World Cup and put together a competitive warm-up programme.

Part of that included the historic hosting of an All Blacks test in Apia next year.

While details are yet to be made public, Tuilaepa believed the match was set to go ahead. “That’s what I’m given to understand,” he said.

He will meet New Zealand Rugby and All Blacks management in Wellington on Tuesday to go over the finer details.

Tuilaepa also made it clear that Samoa will capitalise on an eligibility loophole in rugby’s shift to an Olympic sport that allows players to switch allegiances to a new country after an 18-month stand-down period as long as they are involved in the sevens system.

It means former All Blacks like Rudi Wulf, Lelia Masaga and Isaia Toeava could turn out for Samoa in the 15s game after being fast-forwarded into their sevens programme for the next world series that starts on the Gold Coast next month.

Tuilaepa believed the softening of the eligibility rules was a good move but felt the stand-down could have been even shorter, suggesting six months.

“We need to open the sport up and make it global. It’s not good seeing the game not being competitive.”