Politics was in rugby long before Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt made the call to start a rugby union run by the government. This notion will not fare well for the sport or our players who have the potential to be the best in the world.

It is no secret that the board of Lakapi Samoa is made up of Human Rights Protection Party supporters. The chairman is the leader of the political party. That is what Laaulialemalietoa does not approve. His tiff with the HRPP is the reason why he is holding on to the government funding and calling for a change in the leadership.

The reason for the need for the change of the Lakapi Samoa board and leadership should not stem from that. Over the years, Lakapi Samoa has failed to grow the sport, blaming finances. In fact, it has been pretty much run like the country. The dependence on funds from the government and World Rugby is similar to governments not wanting to take investment risks to improve key capital assets, and instead relying on aid and grants.

Former Manu Samoa and Players Welfare chief executive officer Daniel Leo has a point. The current constitutional structure of the Samoan Rugby Union is not the core issue, but rather leadership and trust at the top of the organisation.

Leo said restoring confidence in Samoan rugby would require changes in leadership and governance, particularly in senior roles. He warned that without meaningful reform, the option of starting again may become unavoidable. He also stressed the importance of transparency and credibility if Samoa hopes to attract sponsors and avoid placing further strain on public finances.

Another former Manu Samoa and All Blacks Lima Sopoaga said after the World Cup qualifiers that the results were a symptom of something deeper. “It’s from the top down, and there needs to be a big clear-out. Those who are running it shouldn’t be where they are. All the talent in the world, but yeah, playing for that last qualifying spot’s pretty tough to watch,” he said.

 “There are guys who can play who have turned themselves away from playing because they are sick of what’s going on at the top.” Sopoaga fears that old issues will simply be swept aside again. “We go to another World Cup, and we mask over those same problems, yet the same problems will continue to happen until those changes at the top happen at the board level.”

Last year, Tuilaepa Sailele Maliegaoi said his constituency has asked him to take a step back from politics as age is catching up, hinting at retirement from politics. Perhaps, this is also an indicator to step away from Lakapi Samoa and allow new and young blood to come in, and that could help drive the union in the right direction.

Meanwhile, the prime minister is on a roll. He has made sweeping changes in the government, putting his loyalists in key positions. It would only be natural for him to want a similar grip of power on the biggest sporting body in the nation. This is not why he should be calling for a change in the Lakapi Samoa leadership.

World Rugby does not take lightly to government interference in the sport. A government-run union risks a lot of thing including the nation’s spot in the World Cup. World Rugby has previously suspended countries because of political interference. At this point, a suspension could almost be a fatal blow to the sport.

The prime minister should think twice about the government interfering in rugby. It is not the best way forward, and at the same time, the Lakapi Samoa board should also consider the right thing to do.

Rugby is a sport we all love; do not let it go to the dogs.