Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: “The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football Union was warned by the International Rugby Board and other rugby playing nations not to engage Waisale Serevi as coach,” says president Richard Sapias, as reported by the Samoa Observer.
Sapias, who was recently elected as a board member of Federation of Oceania Rugby Union FORU, did not wish to disclose further details only confirming the warning against Serevi.
“It’s in PNG’s best interest that we severed all ties,” he told the South Pacific Post. He said Serevi had no formal contract with the PNGRFU but with his backer MRDC.
In a prepared statement, Sapias did, however, confirm that their partnership with Sevens major sponsor MRDC remained intact, with their initial and ongoing drive to reach their desired target -- the Rugby Sevens World Cup 2013.
Sapias was voted in on the FORU board after he won with eight votes ahead of two other nominees from
Fiji and Tahiti with a vote each.
Fiji Rugby Union chief executive Keni Dakuidreketi said he did not know who was Fiji’s nominee.
The FORU consists of all rugby playing countries in the South Pacific, including Test playing nations Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Former PNGRFU president Graham Osborne was a founding board member of FORU. Sapias said it was defining moment for Rugby PNG to be recognised.
He said the main interest from the bigger nations was centered on the exploits of the PNG Under 19 and Under 20 teams participating in the International Rugby Board (IRB) Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) tournament and qualifiers.The JWRT is the qualifier for the IRB Junior World Cup.
The PNG U20 team under coach Robin Tarere are currently preparing for the JWRT to be staged in Moscow, Russia in May. Sapias said: “Australia and New Zealand are just rapped about our juniors heading for their second JWRT after Kenya last year.
“The ARU have even offered to support our administration with a consultant to advice on setting up a proper structure plan. We’re just waiting on confirmation,” he said.