All Blacks tweet support for Samoans

SEVERAL senior All Blacks publicly backed Samoa’s players yesterday over a dispute with the Samoa Rugby Union (SRU) and their chairman, the island nation’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. A group of 10 New Zealand players, including superstars Dan Carter and Sonny Bill Williams, tweeted a picture of themselves holding a sign saying #SamoaUnited, which Williams tweeted with the message “Supporting our Samoan brothers”. The #SamoaUnited hashtag has become a social media rallying point for the team, which this week dropped a threat to boycott Saturday’s Test against England over their grievances, which have been festering since the last World Cup in 2011. Thousands have tweeted their support, including ex-Wallaby Matt Giteau and All Black legend Tana Umaga.