SCHOOL RUGBY : Rugby played around the various selected school grounds
By Staff Writer
Lakapi Samoa is keeping critical watch on the education authorities reaction, to an outburst of serious violence last week at a national schools rugby championship match.
Players and spectators were embroiled in an angry rampage across the ground where the rugby match was played, that left people injured and cars stoned.
“Fortunately, there were no serious injuries but still the risk of harm to personal safety is strongly condemned,” Lakapi Samoa CEO Faleomavaega Vincent Fepulea’i reacted with concern.
“The damage to valuable properties like the deliberate stoning of cars, including buses that were carrying teachers and students, makes it even worse.”
Faleomavaega was also left fuming at several Lakapi Samoa vehicles left badly damaged from the wild, attacking crowd at the scene.
The schools national rugby 7’s championship was played at the St. Joseph’s College Alafua sports ground as the host team against the Amoa College as traveling guests from Savai’i.
An emotional crowd of reportedly home team supporters lost control and turned vengeful when the hosting side lost to the visitors.
“Lakapi Samoa is responsible for rugby in Samoa, our role is to promote and protect our sport,” CEO Faleomavaega highlighted.
“This kind of uncontrolled crowd rage can do a lot of harm and damage to the image of rugby not just in Samoa but especially with the watchful international rugby community.”
Lakapi Samoa relies heavily on the support of World Rugby for many of its local obligations to the national development of the sport.
Faleomavaega conceded that angry crowd reactions is common in any sporting environment and the challenge is always to maintain control.
He felt that people involved should be more responsible with their reactions as winning or losing is all part of sport.
The recent crowd violence in schools rugby takes on an added worry because of the involvement of students as an extra curricula school activity.
Faleomavaega is anxious as well at any concerned reaction from parents that could eventually lead to stopping students from playing rugby.
“This is why we are very keen to see the reaction from the schools rugby union and other educational authorities to the recent violence.
“ Our reaction will depend on what the schools decided and the measures taken to address any future incidences of violence related to the playing of rugby.”
Schools play a key role in the development of rugby and all other sports as well, for identifying and nurturing future players with promising talents.