World Rugby called out over alleged Pacific player body snub

Head of Pacific Players Rugby Welfare Dan Leo has questioned what he sees as a conflict of interest in World Rugby after his agency was apparently snubbed by the governing body.

Former Samoan international Leo took to Twitter after he says he was turned down for a meeting with World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper.

“So World Rugby only engage in dialogue about the development of game with Player Associations and national unions who are on their payroll?

“Huge conflict of interest here Brett Gosper. WR governance is an issue in growing the sport but those groups depend on funding and cannot speak up”.

So @WorldRugby only engage in dialogue about development of game with Player Associations & national unions who are on their payroll?

Huge conflict of interest here @brettgosper

WR governance is an issue in growing the sport but those groups depend on funding & cannot speak up pic.twitter.com/zwHswsvF8P

— Daniel Leo (@danleo82) September 9, 2018

The comment was seized upon by outspoken Pacific rugby advocate Fuimaono Sapolu who appeared to brand Brett Gosper ‘a little bitch’.

Hes such a little bitch.

— fuimaono-sapolu (@Eliota_Sapolu) September 10, 2018

When queried by RugbyPass on the matter World Rugby said they had “no comment” to make.

Currently World Rugby’s position is that they are working with the Pacific Island nations to make them full council members.

The PPRW’s position is that the Pacific Island are grossly under represented. In a statement on their website, the body say: “Currently Samoa, Tonga and Fiji have a share of two of the 48 votes on the World Rugby Council – those two votes are held by Rugby Oceania, which represents 12 countries, including New Zealand and Australia.

“New Zealand and Australia each already have three individual votes.”

“So Samoa, Tonga and Fiji boast just one per cent combined influence on the World Rugby Council.

“Canada, Georgia, Romania and the USA – countries that have never reached a World Cup quarter-final – hold more than two per cent influence each.

“Japan, with two votes, boasts 12 TIMES the influence of Samoa. Yet Samoa provides more than 10 TIMES the amount of professional players to the world game.

“Italy, ranked 14th – five places lower than Fiji and two below Tonga – have 7.1 per cent influence on the World Rugby Council – 20 TIMES that of Fiji and Tonga.”