The Samoan Rugby Union has been declared ‘bankrupt’ by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.

Malielegaoi stated that the union could not afford to pay off bank debts and also needed funds to pay players in the Samoa sevens and fifteens squads.

The Samoan public are now being asked to dig deep to bail out the country’s rugby union.

The Springboks last faced Samoa at the 2015 World Cup when they secured a 46-6 victory, while few will forget South Africa’s hard-fought victory over the Islanders at the 2011 tournament.

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