St Joseph's College Banned from Rugby for Four Years Following Brawl
Reported by Samoa's most read daily paper, the Samoa Observer, St Joseph's College has been banned from rugby for the next four years due to a brawl that erupted after the finals between St Joseph's and Amoa College. Amoa College made history by becoming the first Savaiian college to win the prestigious school rugby trophy.
The final, held at St Joseph's College, descended into chaos when spectators and, reportedly, school kids initiated a fight following Amoa's victory. The altercation escalated to rock-throwing and threats toward the referee and Amoa College, with many videos of the incident circulating online.
A week after the incident, the school's organising committee enforced a four-year ban on St Joseph's College. This decision has sparked significant controversy, especially among rugby enthusiasts and former legends of Manu Samoa. On tonight's episode of Sports Talanoa, two former Manu Samoa legends voiced their opposition to the ban, urging the organising committee and the Education Board to reconsider. They argued that the ban is too harsh and detrimental to the future of rugby in Samoa, which relies on grassroots level development to nurture players for national representation.
Manu Samoa greats Toleafoa Andy Aiolupo and Aumua To'o Vaega have urged authorities to reconsider their decision to ban St Joseph's College from rugby for four years. They called for thoughtful consideration and emphasised the need to address the root causes of the brawl to prevent future incidents. The former players expressed concern that the ban would hinder the school's ability to contribute to the development of future Manu Samoa players, as St Joseph's is renowned for producing some of Samoa's finest athletes.
During the Sports Talanoa episode, host Asiata Pio Vaoliko and Aumua To'o Vaega argued that the responsibility for the incident should not fall solely on the school but the Samoa Rugby Union and Secondary School Rugby Board. They suggested that the finals should have been held on neutral ground, such as Pesega College, Leauvaa College which has multiple fields and could have been suitable alternatives if the main Apia Park Stadium was not available. Aumua pointed out that losing on home turf is especially challenging and can lead to defensive reactions, and the organising committee should have anticipated and prepared for such situations.
For a more in-depth discussion, click on this link to watch the full episode of Sports Talanoa.
The request to reconsider the decision to ban St. Joseph college for 4 years is noticeable and valid, however regardless of the location where the game played, discipline and sportsmanship is Paramount. Pule and Tumua are one.