Dear Editor,

It is stunningly obvious the Samoa Rugby Union has neither respect nor Humanity in treating one of our Manu Samoa icon/legend (and I dare use this phrase sparingly!) He is one of only a dozen or so Manu Samoa Icons that has volunteered the majority of his Rugby Tautua here on island. 

1.    A Rugby Player

Played for one of Samoa`s legendary Vaiala/Ulalei Rugby Club, through Junior Grades to Senior A. The Vaiala Rugby Clubs Senior A Team has and always is a TOP 3 team ever since the sport of rugby was introduced by the papalagis to us in Samoa. AND the Vaiala Senior A Team STILL IS!                                 

1    Player Profile                      

i      Played & Captained Ulalei/Vaiala Senior A XV a side 

ii     Played & Captained Ulalei/Vaiala 10 a side                                                                             

iii    Played & Captained Ulalei/Vaiala 7 a side

iv    Played for Manu Samoa International 7s (Hong Kong7s)

v     Played Internationally for Manu Samoa XV

vi    Played Professional Rugby with Northern Suburbs Rugby Club in Sydney

2.   Coaching Profile

vii  Coached Vaiala Senior A Sevens

viii  Coached Vaiala Senior A 10s

ix   Coached Vaiala Senior A XV to Championships, Knockout Comps Trophies, not to mention Morris Hedstrom Shield challenges and Shield Defences!

x    Coached Manu Samoa 7s to the IRB International 7s Series winning the Wellington Leg in 2007.

Fuimaono achieved more and better results and Happy Memories for the Manu Samoa Fan Base Especially in the Villages, the RURAL areas and Samoan based overseas!!

xi   Coached the Manu Samoa XV to a very First Win EVER over the Wallabies in Australia in 2011! This win over the Wallabies allowed Fuimaono to join an ELITE and an EXCLISIVE club of Manu Samoa Head Coaches who have chalked up VICTORIES over the ELITES of the Rugby World. 

Fuimaono Coached the Manu Samoa to a Win over the Wallabies in Australia! 

Su`a Peter Schuster Coached the Manu Samoa to a win over Wales in Wales in 1991

Sir Tuifaasisina Bryan Williams Coached the Manu Samoa win to a over Wales in 1999 

xii  Coached the Manu Samoa to QUALIFY FOR THE 2019 World Cup 

3.    Referee Profile

xiii Fuimaono is a Certified and Senior Referee for the Samoa Referees Association

4.   Rugby Administrator

ixx   Fuimaono has been a long Serving Executive Member of the Apia Rugby Union.

xx    Fuimaono has long sat on different Rugby Committees of the SRU.

5.     Technical Rugby Advisor & Selector

xxi    Fuimaono has been a Selector/Technical Advisor for the Apia Rugby Union 

xxii   Samoa Schools Rugby Union

xxiii  SRU both for Local Representatives and International Sides. 

xxiv  Teams and both Men and Women’s Sides!

I was the Director of Rugby Development for the SRU for 10 years from1991 to 2001 whilst our team of Development Officers in Anitelea Aiolupo, Taufusi Salesa and Stan Toomalatai all 169 Primary Schools, 48 Secondary Schools and 2 Tertiary Institutions in the UPY and Polytech. 

On many, many occasions I had also asked and taken Manu Samoa players who volunteered to participate in some of these visits for rugby clinics in the schools at the time.

And Fuimaono was/is still one of them volunteers.

I recently went with Fuimaono to prepare the Aleipata College U15 and Lefaga College U15 Teams for games their matches against an U15 Touring Rugby Team from Mosman in Sydney. This was September2018 clinics, a mere 10 weeks ago. 

I find it extremely shocking that the SRU is now celebrating as if it has won an Olympic Gold Medal the contentious political sacking of Fuimaono as one of the three achievements for our unwell SRU for 2018.

Compare the above to how a Civilized, Respectful and Humane NZRU/Auckland Blues is not celebrating in their Annual Report their Civilized, Respectful and Humane Demotion of Tana Umaga, an All Blacks Captain from Coach to Assistant Coach of the Auckland Blues.  

To that of the CEO and SRU very public celebration and humiliation for Fuimaono Dickie`s sacking.

Fuimaono as I mentioned in the beginning of this missive has a very impressive Rugby Profile. Not many people in Samoa have inputted to Samoan Rugby as much, as the sacked Fuimaono.

A season of goodwill, respect and humanity? 

I don’t know about you Santa but as a wise tutor of mine once said “All that you can take with you is that which you`ve given away.”

A Very Merry Christmas & A Happy 2019.

Laki Uaea Apelu