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February 8, 2023 49 mins

Pasifika players have brought so much to the game of rugby - what have they got in return?

James Nokise remembers the glory days of the Samoan team from the 1990s as a kid wrapped in a rug watching his heroes on the TV.

Almost three decades after rugby turned professional, he sits down with the former All Black great, Sir Tuifa'asisina Bryan Williams.

As coach of Manu Samoa through the '90s and current patron of Moana Pasifika, the first professional team run by Pasifika for Pasifika, Sir Bryan understands the challenges Pacific players face.

''The powers that be decided there was no place for Pasifika in Super Rugby, which at the time for me and a number of others was absolutely galling - a great sense of disappointment, a great sense of grievance...''

One of the first Pasifika All Blacks, Sir Bryan went on to be President of New Zealand Rugby and he has a deep experience of how the system works:

''It's not a fair game now. Because it's obvious that certainly the island nations haven't got enough money.''

We also talk politics of rugby with World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont and NZRPA chief Rob Nichol.

And Ikale Tahi centre, Fine Inisi and Professor Lisa Uperesa discuss the way the powerful protect their own interests in the sporting world and how that impacts players and the game.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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