It is an age-old saying that ‘rugby is a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen’. Rugby was introduced into Samoa by New Zealanders who were once colonisers of our tiny paradise. As the game was introduced, it was soon realised that Polynesians have the genetic coding to play this game and this was even mentioned in a scientific journal.

Rugby is not just a sport but a way of life in Samoa. It may be blasphemous to say that it is religion but surely comes second to it.

Over the years, rugby has provided a pathway for many young Samoans to make a better life for themselves and their families. They have been able to show their talents on the world stage and get professional contracts.

People like Muliagatele Brian Lima have been the pioneers of professional rugby for many players who have followed in their footsteps. There are Samoan players who not only represent Manu Samoa on the world stage but also play for New Zealand, Australia, England, France, the United States, Japan, and Hong Kong.

The allegations by former Manu Samoa international Elijah Niko have been shot down by Lakapi Samoa and they have issued a statement clarifying all that has been pointed out. On the allowance issue, Lakapi Samoa has clarified this.

A player in the extended squad and not selected in any of the Series Leg(s) or other tournaments will receive an annual allowance of SAT$15,600. For a developing player in the extended squad, he receives a total allowance annually of SAT$7,800.

A player selected in the extended squad who travels to all tournaments of the series and other related tournaments plus tour allowance will receive a total allowance of SAT$32,000.00.

Additionally, a bonus scheme proposed by Lakapi Samoa to its Partners was made possible by major sponsor SIFA aka IBFC, with rewards per Player and MS7s Management with bonuses ranging from SAT$1,500 to SAT$5,000 for achieving a top-four finish or better per tournament.

All financial contributions received by Manu Samoa 7s during its tour from various overseas-based Samoan communities go directly to the players and management, with none received by Lakapi Samoa. These constitute additional financial benefits for the players and management of the team.

Lakapi Samoa maintains at all times that any increase in allowances and other privileges is subject to its financial position and what it can financially afford.

For players who can travel to all tournaments, they are earning quite a bit of money. This is as good as employment. However, Lakapi Samoa needs to do a bit more. It is about time, the union moves to contract players with annual salaries.

World Rugby and other sponsors can be brought into this to make this more of a professional agreement than the current amateur status. Lakapi Samoa has to evolve to be able to contract its sevens players with contracts between $40,000 to $50,000 per annum.

There is a way of doing this and this has been shown by our Pacific neighbours Fiji, who not only contract their sevens players but now have a franchise team in Super Rugby. Lakapi Samoa has said that they are headed in this direction and we hope that it is sooner than later.

Muliagatele has also hit back at Elijah Niko saying the allegations he has made stem out of the bitterness that he was not selected for national duties for the Olympic team. The overseas players need to remember that it was the local players who gave their all to make sure that Samoa qualified for the Olympic Games and they are the ones playing on the sevens circuit.

Former Manu Samoa coach Gordon Tietjens had a team filled with overseas-based players and they were not even half as successful as the current team is.

This year Lakapi Samoa turns 100 years old. In December last year, Lakapi Samoa announced an ambitious and transformative initiative aimed at elevating Samoa's rugby landscape through a strategic focus on capability building, brand strengthening, and revenue generation.

The board had identified the need to not only improve Lakapi Samoa (on and off the field) capabilities, but to also improve how it serves Samoa through rugby, fostering economic, social, and community benefits across the nation.

Hopefully, this works and Lakapi Samoa will evolve from amateur status to a professional one, that is the way forward.