RACISM IN RUGBY: 'We are NOT valued for what we achieve, we will ALWAYS be a low value brown person'

Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu discusses his experiences with contract negotiations whilst playing for Gloucester Rugby.
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[@npd6225]

I left England with 2 years left on my contract after they tried to cut my wage even though I had “most metres gained after contact” for 2 consecutive seasons. I went to France and to see how less they paid the island boys straight from Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa was so sad. Sometimes not paying them when injured.

[@74sickjune]

Thank you and the other brothers for speaking on how things are playing abroad. Stay strong stay united Polynesia 💪🏾

[@Mrdoriancourtney]

Agree 100% with Fuimaono-Sapolu anylisis. This is part of a bigger picture, it's not just in sports, as he mentions, this happens in every aspect of our lives, those of us who are born in colonized country's will always be second class citizens, unless we do something about it. Great to see there's rugby players who have the ability to understand the situation and are brave enough to speak out. Cheers from Uruguay! PS: loved his T-shirt,

[@MrAhuapai]

Only thing is this guy was not born in a colonised country. He was born in Samoa which is an independent nation ruled by the Samoan people.

[@MichaeldeSousaCruz]

This is a powerful video! Thank you

[@Rhinovr]

That's not OK - and have not learned since the break of the codes in 1908 - same stuck up attitude.

[@Rhinovr]

@90z it’s when Rugby League broke away from Union.

[@tyzxcj34]

I feel bad for these guys. All you island kids in the US appreciate the opportunities you get in football. You can get a college education and go on to the NFL to make way more money than you'd ever make in rugby. Even a bench warmer in the NFL makes a lot more than a professional rugby player.

[@TemaCoolServiceKiribati]

Things will change soon

[@AmosTWama-Ialibu-Imbonggu]

Thanks, champ for sharing your experiences so that those Pacific Islander rugby & rugby league players are better informed, and get rewarded fairly for their worth. Oh! And kudos for donning the #Free_West_Papua 'T-shirt.

[@dantuicakau214]

It's always been like that.

[@bgtokalau637]

100 % that shit still exists out there don't matter what industry you in.its sad but its true! Specially when they import players from other countries! The key is you gotta know what you worth and never settle for less 💯

[@RommulusRemus]

Wow.

[@islandjazz2240]

Racism in humanity is similar to a Dog seeing a Cat as a Cat and not a Dog. Then went on to harm the Cat by chasing it thinking he has the right to do so. But most times the Cat possessing sharp & powerful fangs cat turn the tables on the Dog so they stay together in this lovely Earth accepting their difference as natural. We are all entitled to our own opinions and if we believe them enough these will be emblazoned in our minds so we must be careful not to create likely untruths that seem real within us in case we might fool ourselves believing false assumptions. As you know in rugby kiwi players who are accepted by foreign teams without a signed contract cannot argue they should be paid more than whatever the club decides is enough for their liability whether similar to Scottish players salary or not. Put our feet in the Club Manager's shoes before asking for more $$$ and assuming the the game-plan of racism. The best test for this case is to compare your rugby talents with other successful players' who were contracted for huge money like Charles Piutau, Steven Luatua, Israel Folau, Manu Tuilagi and others even earning much much much more than your average Scottish rugby player and yourself in this case. If you are the same as them talent wise then you might be right bro!. Anyhow, we should all value ourselves correctly according to what we have been gifted with from above because charging more than what we are worth is false as well as against the Law. Good luck for your rugby career bro! Fa'amaoni e fai le mea sa'o. Malo le tau.

[@countycricklewood]

This is so wrong and sad. Give such entertainment and brilliance. Unfair

[@saltyspaceman5697]

I've played rugby games in Auckland where I was the only white guy on the field. Racism has many faces

[@dssfffdddss333]

How is that racist?

[@saltyspaceman5697]

@@dssfffdddss333 it isn't . I was the one who was different and there is always a few people who are

[@g_ak4718]

U sound stupid

[@kleawere2425]

@G_AK47🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@johnhasten4726]

But were you in any way discriminated by your team mates or club in Auckland? ... if not then take a seat lad

[@MrAhuapai]

The story doesnt stack up and smacks of personal resentment. How can you explain the huge contracts that Pacific Island players do earn in the north . Many a lot more than local players . Charles Piutau has been the highest paid player in north for many years. He's hardly cheap labour. What about , Bundee Aki, James Lowe , Stephen Luatua, Manu Tuialgi ,Mako Vunipola, Will Skelton ,Faletau, never mind all the players in France and then theres japan as well so many more, the list goes on and on . These players all earn huge salaries compared to the rest of the population. If Pacific players were treated and paid so poorly in Europe how come when the Pacific franchise Moana Pasifika was formed in Super Rugby and it was promoted that pacific Islanders would come back in droves to play, none did. . The money was just too good in the north and as a result the Moana Pasifika team are last and struggling. Perhaps you should read how real migrant labour is exploited in the real world. You are an immigrant to another country.perhaps you should stop biting the hand that feeds you.

[@micakingsea9031]

That's when he was playing rugby there about 14 years ago. Things are different now

[@swoordaku]

Ffs

[@yingle6027]

Jonah Lomu was one of the most beloved and highly paid rugby players of all time.. If you're good, you'll get the contract. Rugby bosses don't care what colour you are, they just want to win lol. I think this guy might have a bit of a victim mentality.

[@because_the_internet]

Or he... and the others sharing the same kind of experience... are right. The treatment of both players of Pacific origin and the Pacific unions themselves by World Rugby, European clubs and SANZAAR is deplorable. The description of resources being concentrated from the colonised to the colonisers has been demonstrated over and over again throughout history. To suggest that it doesn't happen today across nearly all facets of life is disingenuous, at best.

[@nicketon6940]

@yingle don't try and downplay this man's or other PI players experiences. You are basically saying it's not true because Jonah got well paid.

[@Samizouza]

Just because Jonah was well paid doesn't mean it's the same for every other islander. And this is nowhere near the so-called "victim mentality" if one speaks from experience like this guy, even nemani nadolo spoke about a racial slur against him by some drunk fan who called him the N-word when he was playing for a French club and lost a game. I'm not surprised that some PI players have had their fair share of racism during their tenure playing club rugby overseas, especially in Europe.

[@yingle6027]

@@because_the_internet The Islands receive 10's of millions of NZ tax payer dollars every year, yet the Island leaders squander it. Maybe look at your own people first before you start criticising everyone else. Placing blame on other people is the definition of Victim Mentality.

[@because_the_internet]

@@yingle6027 Look at my people? Well I'm a New Zealander so let's do that. You'd have to have a special kind of wilful ignorance to not concede that laws set up by the colonial government in the early years following the signing of The Treaty of Waitangi were specifically designed to transfer resources from the colonised to the colonisers. In reference to aid to the islands while New Zealand does provide aid, access to the workforce from the islands was a key part of New Zealand's post war economic growth. Also if New Zealand doesn't provide aid China will, almost certainly leading to greater influence in the region.

[@arisoulisa]

I think is ironic that this guy talks about racism...yet sporting a Free West Papua T-shirt. You want West Papuan to be marginalized like you, mate?

[@Algojo]

West Papua should be free from Indonesia imo. Indonesia already have big region and they already can't control their political stability. Should atleast free Papua to their own people to decide whether be free, or siding with Indonesia or Australia or even other countries

[@arisoulisa]

@@Algojo cant control? compared to what? Malaysia, Thailand? wakeup snowflake

[@swoordaku]

Ffs