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Vaea was alleged to have treated the World Cup like a "boozy holiday". Andrew Matthews/EMPICS Sport
Crime and Punishment

Samoan rugby coach fined 100 pigs for World Cup failure

Tuala Matthew Vaea, who has since been relieved of his position, was accused of not earning the respect of his players.

THE SAMOAN RUGBY team were generally believed to have under-performed at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

While some people may have claimed others were given an unfair advantage, there can be no doubting that the side’s failure to escape the group stages constituted a major disappointment.

And the manager – who, one might say, made a pig’s ear of it – has been hit with a rather unusual fine.

According to reports, Tuala Matthew Vaea must pay a fine of 100 pigs in light of recent events.

Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, Leauva’a village chief Sala Lose said the fine – the equivalent of roughly $2,500 – was imposed because of allegations of bad behaviour made against him, which had damaged the reputation of both Vaea and the village.

Captain Mahonri Schwalger had previously criticised the coach in a report to the Samoan Prime Minister that was written after Samoa’s tournament had ended.

The report claimed that Vaea “did not want to be there at most times”  and  “spent most of his time drinking,” as well as suggesting that “all the players do not respect him”.

Vaea, meanwhile, was unavailable for comment.

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