Lions Accused Of Blocking Pasifika Xv Star In Eligibility Row On Eve Of Series

The British & Irish Lions person been accused of moving frightened connected nan eve of nan first Test against nan Wallabies amid a disagreement complete nan readiness of Pete Samu for adjacent week’s First Nations & Pasifika XV circuit match.

Samu, who past play represented Bordeaux earlier joining nan Waratahs for nan adjacent Super Rugby season, has been blocked from playing successful Tuesday’s crippled and is said to beryllium “devastated” by nan caput coach, Toutai Kefu.

The fixture has replaced nan scheduled lucifer against Melbourne Rebels, who went bust past year, and nan Lions person pointed to nan regulations that authorities that only players from Australia’s Super Rugby sides, arsenic good arsenic successful immoderate cases Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika, tin beryllium selected. Samu played for nan AUNZ Invitational XV in Adelaide past week but arsenic he was ineligible for nan Waratahs successful nan 2025 Super Rugby season.

A Lions root has said that nan visitors did not bring Samu’s ineligibility to ray but that is powerfully disputed by Rugby Australia. Kefu, who played against nan Lions for Australia successful 2001, told the Sydney Morning Herald: “I’m perfectly gutted, I still can’t judge that they would do it, kick astir it, I suppose it is what it is, but it’s other information for our boys.

“We’re a squad that’s conscionable been put together, we’re facing a monolithic situation arsenic it is, truthful he [Samu] would person decidedly strengthened us, there’s nary uncertainty astir that. They must person been worried we were going to win. I don’t cognize why they would do it.”

The disagreement comes aft nan Lions made it clear astatine nan commencement of nan circuit that they wanted Australia’s caput coach, Joe Schmidt, to merchandise his Wallabies and guarantee nan Super Rugby sides were arsenic beardown arsenic possible,so nan Lions would beryllium battle-hardened for nan Tests. The irony is that Samu, who helped Bordeaux triumph this past season’s Champions Cup, would person made nan First Nations & Pasifika XV broadside importantly stronger.

The Lions person already allegedly vetoed different players for nan First Nations & Pasifika XV. Rugby Australia, however, considers Samu to beryllium a Waratahs subordinate and eligible for nan circuit match. A Rugby Australia spokesperson said: “Pete Samu is simply a weighted personnel of nan Waratahs and has added greatly to nan First Nations & Pasifika squad since entering camp. We had people hoped he would beryllium playing successful this fixture.”

The Lions person drafted successful a number of further squad members including Ireland’s Thomas Clarkson and nan Scotland trio of Darcy Graham, Ewan Ashman and Rory Sutherland successful bid to remainder their front-line stars for nan First Nations & Pasifika match.

Asked for his views connected nan Lions’ determination to artifact Samu from playing, nan adjunct coach, Johnny Sexton, said: “The Lions person blocked him? I don’t cognize if nan Lions person blocked him. It’s much nan rules and regulations of what was agreed earlier nan tour. I don’t deliberation that’s accurate. But, look, we’re concentrating connected tomorrow. I deliberation Tuesday will look aft itself. The astir important point for america arsenic a group is concentrating connected tomorrow and trying to get a bully capacity retired there.”