How does the NZRU consider this helping out with costs assoiciated if the test is played at Yarrow Stadium? Sure, great the manu's playing the All Blacks for the beneift & development of our players etc etc but in terms of helping out with costs associated,why would they have the test at a venue thats so unfamiliar with the majority, if not all of the samoan rugby public here in NZ? Why not have the game at Eden park in Auckland, situated in the heart of the of most populated pacifc island city...you know why? Coz a the total capacity of Eden Park is 60,000 compared to the 25,000 of Yarrow Stadium. Oh don't worry if it was at Eden Park, we'll fill it out to the carpark if your excuse was" its too big a stadium for this match". So NZRU, are you so up tight and afraid that the prospect of all gate costs at eden park go towards to the SRU? Sure, shove us down to New Plymouth why dont you, coz where did you originally plan the test for the Pumas?. And if we were going to play the AB's, surely the prospect of that deserves at least a years notice for our boys to mentally look forward and thoroughly prepare for...not 2 months. Its going to be a nightmare. We're not filler nation who'll jump just to fill in your schedule, (well i guess the powers that be in SRU are).
Don't worry, though i'll be watching and cheering on our the boys in blue...despite the cricket score.

We should take it as it comes. At least the Manu are playing the ABs. We have seen games at Albany (Auckland) where the Stadium aint even halp packed when the ABs play the P.I teams.

Playing down in Taranaki will give the fans down there are chance to see the ABs play. You'll also get a stadium which will be sold out. And there are plenty of Samoans in that region that will support the men in blue.

I think it's great that NZ has given Samoa the opportunity to play them. Hopefully Samoa will send a team worthy of playing the AB's and not just a team for the AB's to play touch with.

Go the Manu!!

Eden Park will be carrying out demolition work on most of its stands in August. Hence why Eden Park isn't in a position to host a test match in September. Anyway, because EP will have already hosted a test match for the year, it would be unfair for Auckland to get another test at the expense of other test venues in NZ.

Auckland has hosted Manu Samoa v All Black tests in the past at the North Harbour Stadium. The crowds were reasonably good at 20,000. They weren't sold out. Therefore, Yarrow stadium's capacity of 25,000 fits the bill. It will be the first test match ever to be played in New Plymouth - the first time the All Blacks will have played there, so it is expected to be a sell-out. There is also a few hundred Samoans that live in New Plymouth, so I would expect most of them will be at the match.

Just because there are Samoans that live in Auckland and Wellington, doesn't mean they will all flock to the manu samoa game. Samoa played in wellington against Scotland in 2004 and only 11,000 people turned up. That is pitiful for Wellington - there are at least 40,000 Samoans in that city.

In conclusion, stop fretting. The test is likely to be sold out.

C'mmon Su'a (CEO) Did u ever thought about it...or u just go w the flow....
The marjority of Samoa people lives in Auckland ,& nearby town...
Believe me... they are looking 4ward 2c the boys frm home...
Ok testing their courage w the All Black...& help the development of the Pacific Island rugby...
So why not consider in the 1st place 2 let the boys play in the heart of the Polynesian cmmunity in Auckland..
Eden Park will b the ideal for the game...
I know this is a fantastic chance 4 the boys 2 build up their confidence & become a good player...BUT...
It would b gr8t if they play @ Eden Park...
Anyway Good Luck to all the players & hopefully the park fill w joy & happiness...

Well ... talk about respect and consideration. I think the last minute call upon the Manu Samoa to play the All Blacks stinks to high heaven. But then who am I for the NZRU or our own management to care? As long as our boys can give the All Blacks a workout before the tests with Australia and South Africa that is all that matters to them. Whether its a last minute appointment or a brotherly gesture, who cares?
I have always believed that the NZRU does not give a shit about the Manu Samoa or the development of rugby in Samoa. Of course the language from NZRU is always pretentious and misleading. When will the All Blacks play in Samoa? And if not, why? As long as the NZRU benefits from Samoan talent thats all that matters to them.
If I was the chairman of the SRU I would have told the NZRU to shove it. Nevertheless our Manu Samoa has been asked to play the All Blacks at their trainning facility somewhere in the bush. Good luck to our boys. The All Blacks is beatable.

The reason why the SRU would prefer to play the All Blacks in NZ is as follows:

The Samoa Rugby Union makes more money by playing in NZ. It would make next to bugger all if they played it at Apia Park.

Can I also reiterate that Eden Park will be in the advanced stages of demolition work in September, so is not really in a position to host a test match.

Thanks JM for the explanation, but it changes nothing. NZRU is strictly for the All Blacks to reign supreme in the world of rugby regardless of a million reasons you can offer. That was, is, and will be the NZRU's number one priority, bugger all. As for the Manu Samoa, the NZRU continues to throw us scraps now and again just to fill our appetite. And next time maybe you can write your full name for transparency and sincerity. Have a good one, brother.

We are already playing NZ A and AUS A at home and are struggling to beat either team. It's not like we can just jump into tri nations mode when we feel like it. Let's face it, Fiji and Tonga - after their World Cup performance - deserve to play the All Blacks more than we do. But that is where the real challenge lies... can we put together a decent team to make sure we dont get thrashed?

Good Luck Manu Samoa, this is your chance to redeem yourself for the 2007 disappointment.

At least Samoa are getting a game against the ABs. Who knows when they might ever play them again.

For those of you who don't know the Naki area, there are plenty of Samoans their. Looking at around afew thousand. Game has been sold out already so well done to the people of Taranaki. Even if there were only a thousand Samoan at the game i'm sure they'll make enough noise to jeer the boys on...

Thanks FS (don't really care what your name is). Regardless of what you think, the facts are quite simple:

1. The SRU makes more money from sharing gate-receipts (actually, it is probably more likely to be the full gate takings if past NZRFU policy is anything to go by) at a match in New Zealand, than it would with a match played at Apia Park.

2. Eden Park is not available in September.

nb: In short, when Samoa tours the UK, the UK unions keep all the money. When Samoa tours NZ, Samoa either takes all the gate receipts or shares it.

I won't go into the history of NZ rugby aiding the Samoan rugby union through paying our coaches and providing us with players born in NZ, but thats another argument.



2.