Samoa’s rugby coach fined 100 pigs for ‘disgracing his village’ at World Cup

Pork chopped? Swine fined? It all applies to the head coach of Samoa’s national rugby team, who was fined 100 pigs by his village for misbehavior at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. In an explosive report by Samoan captain Mahonri Schwalger, it was alleged that Tuala Mathew Vaea, and other Samoan coaches, spent large amounts of time drinking and carrying on at the WC when they should have been attending to coaching duties.

Gaze on the photo used by the Daily Mail with their story on this … it’s a thing of beauty. And I also like this one. Ha. You win this round, British tabloids.

NBC Sports:

In feedback to Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, Schwalger reportedly said Vaea and other Samoan officials had treated the World Cup as a “massive holiday,” were frequently absent from the team when they had duties to perform and had spent too much time drinking with friends.

The Leauva’a village council found the allegation against Vaea — a former Samoa international — had disgraced the village and tarnished his chiefly rank.

“When the village elders rule on something, that is what happens. He’s been fined for bringing disrepute to his village, which is quite a serious thing,” Dreaver said.

Schwalger has been supported by other Samoan players who say the conduct of Vaea and Samoan Rugby Union officials at the World Cup affected their ability to play well.

Samoa was expected to be extremely competitive in New Zealand after beating world No. 2 Australia in a leadup match.

How much are 100 pigs worth in real money? I can’t count the number of times I’ve been asked that. TV New Zealand estimates it at $2,500 … or $250 $25 per pig. (You win this round, math!)

So do you round them up and drive then to the capital like in a John Wayne movie? Or is the use of pigs here purely symbolic? Can he pay 92 pigs, and the rest in sheep?

Make no mistake, this is a big deal in Samoa, where one rugby site even quoted Abraham Lincoln (this is true):

As United States President Abraham Lincoln once said of responsibility, “You can’t escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” Schwalger’s stand against those in power is a stride forward as a people, not as an individual. That is the mark of a true leader.

I prefer to quote another great man, Farmer Hoggett: “That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.”

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Samoan rugby manager fined 100 pigs for World Cup misbehavior [NBCSports]