The management staff of the Samoa women's sevens team have been stood down until the end of April because the rugby union cannot afford to employ them on a full-time basis.
The Manusina 7s will compete in the Final Olympic Qualification Tournament in June, with the winner advancing to the main draw in Tokyo.
The Samoa women's sevens team held trials in January. Photo: Facebook/Manusina Sevens
But Samoa Rugby Union High Performance Unit General Manager, Seumanu Douglas Ngau Chun, said because the team only plays in tournament per year the staff are only employed on a part-time basis.
"We have about six to eight weeks of preparations and then two weeks of tournaments, so normally we call them in around that time and from there they will start preparing their team.
"Once the campaign ends that's it for them as well."
The Manusina 7s have not competed in an international tournament since the 2019 Oceania Sevens Championship, with last year's edition cancelled because of Covid-19.
Seumanu said three members of management staff will now step back following the postponement of the Oceania Women's Rugby World Cup repechage tournament.
But they will resume their roles next month in the lead-up to the Olympic qualifier in Monaco.
"They're only given certain days outside of the campaign for Manusina," he said.
"So, for instance, out of a month they're given five days of a month - those are the working days for them - so they can claim those days.
"They can also do three day camps...but in terms of being full-time the Samoa Rugby Union is not in a position to do that since they only appeared once in the calendar year."
Samoa Rugby Union General Manager of High Performance, Seumanu Douglas Ngau Chun. Photo: Supplied
The 18 players in the national women's training squad will continuing to work under the guidance of the SRU Academy Manager until the management staff resume their roles at the end of April.
"The coach, Auimatagi Sapani, has already given her the training programme so even though they're not around I'm confident with the work of our academy manager, Filoi Eneliko, handling the training so far for the time that the coaches are on break."
Seumanu said head coach Auimatagi and manager Seifono Misili are also employed by the SRU to work on programs such as "Quick Rip" and "Get into Rugby" but will turn their full attention to the sevens campaign next month.
Meanwhile the SRU has defended the purchase of a new Ford Ranger for men's sevens head coach Muliagatele Brian Lima from a Covid-19 relief fund from World Rugby.
Seumanu said all of their full-time coaches and High Performance staff receive vehicles as part of their contracts, which they need to get around the island and do their jobs.
He said the Covid-19 relief fund was also used to fund a number of other initiatives.
"Like running our Lakapi Championship, our National Sevens Series, (being) able to host our academy at this Covid time," he said.
"So those are some of the things it's helping us with that fund and also keeping us operating as normal as we're supposed to be at this very tough time."