‘Big white lie’

running his mouth about what Samoa and Fiji shouldve done.’’

You understand the outrage. And Fuimaono-Sapolu knows that New Zealand is every bit as bad. England, Scotland and Wales, from the other side of the world, have each played more internationals against his country than neighbouring New Zealand has done. The All Blacks have played Samoa just seven times, England eight, Wales 10 and Scotland 12.

The same is true of Fiji whom the All Blacks have played on just five occasions. Even the ‘evil’ France have played them twice as many times. The All Blacks have played Tonga on six occasions, 86 less times than Tonga and Fiji have met. In rugby terms the

Islands certainly do not owe New Zealand a living.

Impey said; ‘‘We did our best to persuade Fiji and Samoa that it would be in their best interests to vote with the countries of the southern hemisphere ... I understand the frustrations, but the islands have also got to help themselves.’’

How patronising is that last statement. Is it any wonder that the Pacific does not trust New Zealand in rugby terms. They were given a choice between the devil they know and the devil they know fairly well. And so Samoa and Fiji voted for Beaumont, partly on the grounds that he has promised to revisit regulation 8, which would allow players to return to play for their country of origin after representing another nation.

Now, if New Zealand had really been honest about wanting to change the world, they could have nominated a woman or a Maori or a person of Pacific island origin to sit on the World Rugby Executive Committee. As Robert Kitson of The Guardian amusingly observed, there are twice as many blokes named Brett as women on that committee.

Instead NZR put up the well-fed white bloke who they reckoned could rake them back the most dosh. That dosh will not be going to help Pacific Island countries. So let’s not pretend NZR were the sadly defeated heralds of a great new era of change. Just like everybody else, they voted for their self interests and they lost. End of story.