21 Nov 2014

Sport: Pacific rugby chairs meet for talks

1:21 pm on 21 November 2014

The chairmen from the Samoa, Tonga and Fiji rugby unions will meet for talks in Suva over the next two days, with player eligibility and co-operation between the Pacific nations high on the agenda.

The meeting was organised a few weeks ago.

Chair of the Tonga Rugby Union, Epeli Taione, says he also intends to speak with his Samoan counterpart, Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, about the dispute between a group of senior Manu Samoa players and the Samoa Rugby Union.

Epeli Taione says there will also be discussions between the Unions on a joint response on the issue of player eligbility.

He says taking their concerns to the Court of Arbitration for Sport is a last-resort option and the three unions plan to draft a response to the game's governing body, World Rugby, and the International Olympic Committee.