Thursday, October 2, 2003
The International Rugby Board (IRB) has hit back at accusations of a devalued World Cup, saying it had done all it could to secure the best teams for the tournament.
South Pacific nations Fiji, Tonga and Samoa have lost key players from their World Cup squads, many of them choosing to stay with wealthy clubs in Britain or New Zealand provinces.
Canada, Namibia and European minnows Georgia have also been hit.
IRB chief executive and secretary general Michael Miller attended the launch of the tournament's media centre yesterday but refused to answer questions about the plight of Pacific players.
IRB spokesman Chris Rea later said it was up to individual clubs to decide whether they would release players.
"The board has done as much as it can to secure the release of the best players," Rea said.
"We all are very deeply concerned that there is a problem with the release of the best players."
Samoa have lost up to five players, including London-based hooker Trevor Leota, who said he had been forced to pull out after his club Wasps refused to pay him while he was away.
Samoan coach John Boe has described the problem as a blight on the game, with South Pacific unions unable to pay players who moved to professional clubs overseas.
The IRB's regulation prevents clubs from blocking players from representing their countries, and also stops players from playing with clubs during the period they were wanted by their national side.
Rea said there was little the IRB could do if players, afraid of losing their club payments, announced their retirement from international rugby before they were selected for national teams.
"It's very, very important to the rugby World Cup that the best players are made available," Rea said.
"But if those players decide that they don't wish to play for whatever reason, then there's a limit to how far we can go."
Former Fijian captain Simon Raiwalui announced his retirement from international rugby before he joined English club Saracens earlier this season.
Halfback Jacob Rauluni was also unavailable, with Fiji coach Mac McCallion saying the pair had virtually been held to ransom by their British clubs.
Fiji have appealed for Raiwalui to come out of retirement after losing injured Ifereimi Rawaqa last weekend.
Rea said there was no question of the IRB paying affected players so that they could play in the World Cup.
"If the IRB or Rugby World Cup (Ltd) was to be involved in making up those payments to players, simply there'd be no money left for the development of the game," he said.
Scotland coach Ian McGeechan said he understood conflicts would arise now that rugby was a professional game but urged the IRB to "get hold of the thing".
"Either international rugby does take precedence or it doesn't, either the World Cup takes precedence or it doesn't," McGeechan said.
NZPA
The International Rugby Board (IRB) has hit back at accusations of a devalued World Cup, saying it had done all it could to secure the best teams for the tournament.
South Pacific nations Fiji, Tonga and Samoa have lost key players from their World Cup squads, many of them choosing to stay with wealthy clubs in Britain or New Zealand provinces.
Canada, Namibia and European minnows Georgia have also been hit.
IRB chief executive and secretary general Michael Miller attended the launch of the tournament's media centre yesterday but refused to answer questions about the plight of Pacific players.
IRB spokesman Chris Rea later said it was up to individual clubs to decide whether they would release players.
"The board has done as much as it can to secure the release of the best players," Rea said.
"We all are very deeply concerned that there is a problem with the release of the best players."
Samoa have lost up to five players, including London-based hooker Trevor Leota, who said he had been forced to pull out after his club Wasps refused to pay him while he was away.
Samoan coach John Boe has described the problem as a blight on the game, with South Pacific unions unable to pay players who moved to professional clubs overseas.
The IRB's regulation prevents clubs from blocking players from representing their countries, and also stops players from playing with clubs during the period they were wanted by their national side.
Rea said there was little the IRB could do if players, afraid of losing their club payments, announced their retirement from international rugby before they were selected for national teams.
"It's very, very important to the rugby World Cup that the best players are made available," Rea said.
"But if those players decide that they don't wish to play for whatever reason, then there's a limit to how far we can go."
Former Fijian captain Simon Raiwalui announced his retirement from international rugby before he joined English club Saracens earlier this season.
Halfback Jacob Rauluni was also unavailable, with Fiji coach Mac McCallion saying the pair had virtually been held to ransom by their British clubs.
Fiji have appealed for Raiwalui to come out of retirement after losing injured Ifereimi Rawaqa last weekend.
Rea said there was no question of the IRB paying affected players so that they could play in the World Cup.
"If the IRB or Rugby World Cup (Ltd) was to be involved in making up those payments to players, simply there'd be no money left for the development of the game," he said.
Scotland coach Ian McGeechan said he understood conflicts would arise now that rugby was a professional game but urged the IRB to "get hold of the thing".
"Either international rugby does take precedence or it doesn't, either the World Cup takes precedence or it doesn't," McGeechan said.
NZPA
