Dropped: Mahonri Schwalger
The Samoa Rugby Union (SRU) has dropped captain Mahonri Schwalger after his stinging criticism of the team management's conduct at the RWC.
New coach Stephen Betham didn't include Schwalger in a 35-man training squad ahead of the Pacific Nations Cup and a Test with Scotland.
Betham also axed centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, who generated controversy at the World Cup in New Zealand with an angry Twitter rant accusing Welsh referee Nigel Owens of racism after Samoa's 13-5 loss to South Africa.
The coach said Schwalger was left out due to his age but the 31-year-old hooker told the Samoa Observer he believed it was because he spoke out about management of the team, known as Manu Samoa, at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
"I knew it would cost me my international career," he told the newspaper.
"If it means that the Manu will go forward without me then that's a sacrifice I will take."
Samoa disappointed at the World Cup, failing to reach the knockout stage, and Schwalger provided a damning assessment of management's performance at the tournament in a report to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi.
He said officials would disappear for days at a time, engaged in drinking binges at the team hotel and treated the event as a holiday. Most of those he criticised have since left the SRU.
Schwalger, whose Waikato Chiefs are second on the Super Rugby ladder, said he had no warning about being dropped and still felt he could make a contribution to the national team.
"Age means nothing, selection should be based on performance, not age," he told the Observer.
"Look at some of the top players in the world, they are in their mid 30s and still the best in their positions."
Fuimaono-Sapolu, who will play club rugby in Japan next season after leaving British side Gloucester, said on Twitter that he was "gutted" at his omission.
"Word is, once again, someone's tampering with my international career," he wrote.
Betham told the Observer that the International Rugby Board (IRB) did not want Fuimaono-Sapolu in the team.
"The International Rugby Board has ruled against Eliota playing rugby in IRB-run tournaments," he said. "It was made known in a letter."
Comments
DutchWing says...
"...in a report to the Prime Minister..." That's the normal action you would take, if you think your superiors are misbehaving, you go to their superiors to complain. Very mature of Schwalger to take this for the team, at least he got rid of most of the people he criticised, sad to see it costs him his place, he's doing awesome with the Chiefs. Manu's loss is Chiefs win then.
Posted 07:09 17th May 2012
powerplay says...
This is sad, but you can see the selflessness in the guy, when he says, if its better for the team that im not there then so be it'.
Thats the sacrifice hes made!
So Samoa lose experienced players because they tell the truth and speak out? i.e Mahionri? This is where culture is overrides what is 'right'
Samoan rugby will never grow until it comes away from the negative parts of its culture!!!
Until then, Samoa keep shooting themselves in the foot!!! Bring back Michael Jones as Head, or manager, but get someone else to coach!!!
Posted 22:54 16th May 2012
Rayz says...
Real pity about Mahonri Schwalger. He has been a positive influence with the Chiefs, and I find it a little hard to believe that Stephen Betham left him out because of his age. However, that's the coachs' prerogative and maybe he wanted to make a new start without any baggage.
Regardless, Schwalger has proven himself a man of integrity with high work ethic and I don't think that will be forgotten quickly.
Posted 15:53 16th May 2012
heathy says...
@ montyRN - I agree completely.
I'm often left dumbstruck by how stupid sportspeople are with their twitter accounts and their public rants. Yes, sometimes they have a point and issues need to be sorted or raised but this needs to be done ¿in house¿. As soon as you open it up into the public arena it becomes a different animal. The authorities don¿t like it and it can cause legal problems and all sorts of other issues. Especially when you say something completely stupid like the ref was a racist. Footballers are also the worse at this. I saw the game against SA and they were unlucky but really, just not quite good enough on the day. Passions run high we all know that but this is when the professionals need to keep their counsel. What did they really expect from all this? It doesn't mean they are not good blokes or that they are not good enough necessarily. It just goes to show how stupid they are and in pretty much every case, the more powerful 'powers that be' will kick back and do something about it whether they like the outcome or not. The perpetrators then get all tearful as if they were the victims. Jeeps guys, this is not rocket science - just stop and get on with playing rugby!!
Posted 13:16 16th May 2012
APV1 says...
F-S still hasn't learned, has he? he's the one responsible for this action and I, personally, think he shouldn't be allowed near a rugby pitch again. He is a terrible influence to youngsters. Shame, really, as he's an excellent player.
Schwalger knew what he was doing and it took balls.
Posted 12:42 16th May 2012
montyRN says...
"Word is, once again, someone's tampering with my international career"...
Yes Eliota. That would be you. By being a complete tool on Twitter. So you got dropped. Ergo...
Your fault.
Cancel twitter account, use that big lawyer's brain of yours and get back to just playing rugby! You're a great player! Just a ranty chopper off the pitch!
Posted 10:49 16th May 2012
lorenz78 says...
There may be very good reasons for omitting Fuimaono-Sapolu, but if it is as PR reports it looks quite bad: either the coach does not consider him fit to the national team (for physical, technical, psychological reasons - including his Twitter rants) or he is officially suspended by the competent authority.
If it is done on the basis of a "letter" which, as far as I understand from the report, was not a public document, it seems more like racketeering.
No patriotic interest in the specifics (I am Italian, not Samoan!) and I considered Fuimaono-Sapolu comments during the World Cup utterly idiotic. That said, transparency is basic or you risk giving him further ammo for screaming foul.
Posted 10:18 16th May 2012
startledwombat says...
This is clever thinking by the heavyweights in Samoan rugby administration.
It's a very small talent pool, almost a closed shop, and they know that some of their mates - or even themselves - will be on the next World Cup junket. Now they can play up however they like, safe in the knowledge that any whistleblower will get the shaft.
Manu Samoa won't be a good bet in 2015.
Posted 10:16 16th May 2012
Bones7 says...
Fuimaono-Sapolu is a fair omission considering his behaviour but if what Schwalger said was true, and I can't believe he would take such a risk if it wasn't, then that is a glaring injustice. It takes a true captain in those situations to stand by his players and out a terrible management team at the cost of his own international career. Some would say he shouldn't have done it in public but if the powers behind Samoan rugby are letting that kind of behaviour go then he had no alternative, especially if they were prepared to sit back and let the players take the criticism.
Posted 09:38 16th May 2012