Australia rugby funding for Sāmoa on hold amid governance dispute

Australian funding to support rugby in Sāmoa has yet to be finalised as the government works to resolve governance within the national rugby union. The issue was raised publicly during Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s visit to Apia this week.

During the visit, Sāmoa and Australia signed cyber-security and regional policing cooperation agreements, opened a new maritime police facility in Savai‘i, and marked the topping-out of a new Legislative Assembly Office. Broader discussions also covered security, climate and development cooperation.

At a joint press conference, questions turned to stalled rugby funding. Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt confirmed the government would not finalise support arrangements until governance issues affecting the sport were resolved.

“Leave it to us,” Laaulialemalietoa said, referring to negotiations over rugby administration. “I will make sure I sign if everything is sorted out.”

He says Sāmoa rugby is at its weakest condition in decades and blamed the decline on management failures and political interference within the sport. “At this stage, our rugby is in very poor condition. We are in the level that Sāmoa has never been before, because of management,” he says.

Laaulialemalietoa says the government aimed to remove political influence from rugby administration and ensure future funding was managed transparently and in the interests of players and the sport.

The Prime Minister says government must restore credibility. Photo/Government of Sāmoa

“No more politics inside rugby,” he added.

Newsline Samoa reports that opposition leader and current chair of Lakapi Sāmoa, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, rejected the government’s position, saying Australia is aware of the issues facing Sāmoa rugby.

“Australia is not unaware of the problems that Sāmoa is facing, the politicising of everything by Laauli,” Tuilaepa said. “It is not a good attitude for a leader to take that kind of political stance when the benefit is [for] all our sportsmen and women.”

Gym and skills session at the 2026 Lakapi Sāmoa Academy. Photo/Lakapi Sāmoa

Questions about Australian rugby funding were raised amid local reports that support for Lakapi Sāmoa had been delayed due to governance concerns and internal disputes.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong says Australia remained committed to supporting rugby development across the Pacific but was awaiting a joint regional proposal from Sāmoa, Tonga and Fiji before approving additional funding.

“We are awaiting a collective application for rugby union funding,” she says.

Minister Wong added that any funding arrangement would require governance standards that governments could have confidence in. “We always expect reasonable governance in every funding arrangement… to ensure value for money.”

Rugby funding forms part of Australia’s wider Pacific sports programme, but officials say governance standards must be met before additional support is approved.

Laaulialemalietoa says the government needs to restore credibility. “Rugby is a game that is really important to us, but somehow it’s been politicised,” he said.

Watch (Sāmoan) a Radio Sāmoa news clip below:

He says the government wanted rugby administration to be driven by sporting stakeholders rather than political actors and would intervene to ensure governance reforms were completed. “We want the rugby to lead through the hands of the players and the people that love the rugby the most,” he said.

“I have my guarantee to you that Sāmoa will be part of this family,” he said, referring to regional rugby partnerships.

Rugby remains Sāmoa’s most prominent sport and a key pathway for professional careers. Australia says further funding will depend on governance reforms and a joint regional proposal.