Tuilaepa Stands Down as Chair of Lakapi Samoa to make room for another Board Member to Take Over

2026-03-06 - 07:27

The leader of the Opposition Human Rights Protection Party, Hon Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has announced he would not be seeking reappointment as Chairman of Lakapi Samoa as his current four year term comes to an end this year. Tuilaepa Dr Sailele Malielegaoi was first appointed Chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union (now known as Lakapi Samoa) in 2000 when Seiuli Alan Grey retired. It has been a reign of 26 years. In an interview with 685 Radio aired in the Huma Rights Protection Party page, Tuilaepa said that it was just this morning that he checked, when his current term is up. He said he had only just come from a meeting of the Lakapi Samoa Board – where he had made known to them his intentions. He told Sioeli that it has been two years now since he had stopped attending World Rugby meetings. “I dont know if the Board had noticed, but I have been stepping back and letting other members of the Board attend on my behalf.” Lakapi Samoa Board in 2022. Faumuina Margaret has since left when appointed head of soccer, and CEO Faleomavaega Vincent has since retired. “Ae o le uiga tonu o lo’u agaga, ina ia faamasani i latou, e fono ai.. ona ua oo mai le taimi, e tatau ai ona ou mafaufau, e see mai se isi o latou ae ou malolo..” Tuilaepa says it is time that one of them (current board members) slides in to take over, while he steps down. According to Tuilaepa, he has already prepared the Board (komiti) to continue the good governance (pulega lelei), suggesting that one of the Board Members would be taking over. “That is why I thought it would be best to publicise this decision, straight from me this evening...” Tuilaepa says he has been involved in rugby since he became Prime Minister in 1991, with 26 years of Chairmanship. The stepping down of Tuilaepa with the intention to be replaced by another member of the current Board does not solve the impasse Samoa is in with accessing the opportunity presented by Rugby Australia for Samoa to participate at Super Rugby level under the Veimoana Rugby Partnership. The Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt has not minced words in putting forth his position that the current “political” Board are required to step down in order for trust to be re-established in Samoa Rugby. PM: Change the Board, or a New Rugby Union will be Set Up Laaulialemalietoa has spoken at length about the dire situation of Samoa Rugby with both 15s and 7s being at the lowest recorded world rankings in history.. His latest position aired just yesterday at his weekly press conference, is: the current board of Lakapi Samoa must resign, or a new mother union for the sport would be set up with the support of grassroots rugby unions. Greenology is Samoa’s leading provider of ICT Solutions! The Prime Minister shed light on his latest discussions with Rugby Australia – who made a special trip to Samoa to meet with Laaulialemalietoa. Daniel Millis -General Manager of Government Relations and Pacific Partnerships, and Fa’alafi Pa Enari – Cultural Liaison Officer from Rugby Australia flew to Samoa this week to meet with the Prime Minister following a tense media press conference with Foreign Minister Hon Penny Wong. The Prime Minister said they held successful discussions with Rugby Australia and then a zoom call was set up for discussions with the World Rugby Chairman, Dr. Brett Robinson. The Chair of World Rugby is a former Captain of the Brumbies (1996) and a 16-Test Wallaby, elected in November 2024 to succeed Sir Bill Beaumont. He is the first person from the Southern Hemisphere to hold the position, serving a four-year term. Samoa’s vote was made obvious by Tuilaepa at the time of the nomination for World Rugby Chair in 2024, with support thrown behind Sir Bill Beaumont who had received the title to Tootoomua in Tuilaepa’s village of Lepa. This week, the Samoa Prime Minister said he had made it clear to Rugby Australia and World Rugby, that Samoa did not wish to miss out the funding support proposed by Australia to Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. “Sa ou talosaga iai, ou te lē mana’o e misi Samoa mai lea faamanuiaga..” He said discussions with World Rugby established that Samoa would deal with its own domestic issues which the Prime Minister insists, centres around Governance and the involvement of political figures on the Board of the governing body. The current President of Lakapi Samoa, an HRPP Member of Parliament, the ambitious Namulauulu Leota Sami Leota, is rumoured to be the obvious choice to be elected by the Board to Chairmanship. The current Constitution of Lakapi Samoa has the President as en ex-oficio non voting member of the Board. Good Vibez at Manumailagi, Siusega.