Pacific Rugby Players Welfare organisation cry foul over Tonga's fixture with England

Dan Leo has retweeted the July 2019 letter calling on the chief executive of each of the Six Nations unions to change the international financial model that allows the host team keep 100 per cent of the profit generated from a home fixture outside of the World Cup. 

The ex-Samoan international is now CEO of the Pacific Rugby Players Welfare organisation and has been campaigning for a revised profit share model that would provide much-needed funds to tier two nations. 

Leo initially contacted administrators such as the RFU’s Bill Sweeney seven months ago and his renewed call has come following the announcement that England will host Tonga next November at Twickenham in a rematch of their recent World Cup fixture in Japan. 

The PRPW believes that a ten per cent profit share model in favour of a tier two side being hosted by a tier one country would make a huge difference to the minnows trying to play catch-up on the Test rugby scene. 

Leo’s belief is that everyone would be a winner from a revised financial model as it would especially help the Pacific Island rugby community to tackle pressing issues such as player drain, the lack of a viable professional pathway, the reliance on government funding and the issue of depression/suicide resulting from players having to leave home to play professional rugby. 

This is a letter we sent July ‘19 to the CEO’s of each of the 6 Nations

If you care about the development of the game & want to help Pacific/Tier 2 nations- please read & share tagging in your home Union #strongertogether pic.twitter.com/PErqZouTdo

— PacificRugbyWelfare (@pacificwelfare) February 29, 2020

The PRPW chief has called on rugby fans to read and share his proposal in the hope that his campaign to develop the sport in the Pacific/tier two nations can be accelerated.

Fans responding to his message have agreed that revenue sharing is the only sure way to enable tier countries to survive.

They have also suggested rugby is approaching a tipping point where the minnow nations should withdraw from touring until the tier one nations properly address the issue.

Today we learned @EnglandRugby will host match VS Tonga in November from which Tonga wont recieve a penny

We also learned 8 players (15-16yrs) from Atele HS in Tonga will fly to Japan this week for rugby/ education opportunities not available at home

Tell us thats not messed up pic.twitter.com/c5rixhGRBZ

— PacificRugbyWelfare (@pacificwelfare) February 27, 2020

RFU turnover on ticket sales alone (let alone sponsorship and hosp) in 18/19 season was £47m. The three Pacific teams collectively received £20m over a 4 year period from World Rugby. That’s £5m per year or £1.66m each per annum. To suggest they receive fair funding is palpable..

— Brett Williams (@BrettWill25) February 28, 2020

Leo also posted that while Tonga won’t receive a penny for playing in next November’s match at a likely sold-out Twickenham, he learned that eight players aged 15 to 16 from Tonga were flying to Japan this week for rugby/educational opportunities not available at home.

“Tell us that is not messed up,” he pleaded. 

WATCH: RugbyPass went behind the scenes as Tonga prepared for the 2019 World Cup in Japan