Racism against rugby players rife in New Zealand, claims Samoan ace

Wellington, Apr 12(ANI): Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu, who played for Samoa at the Rugby World Cup, has slammed the racist tirade directed at Auckland Blues coach Pat Lam after a series of poor performances by the team.

Fuimaono-Sapolu, who created a controversy with his tweeting during last year's rugby World Cup in New Zealand, expressed his opinion in his usual contentious manner on Twitter.

"F**k NZ Rugby. We polynesians have made the All Blacks the best in the world for decades! F**k it now! Represent your Island countries!" Stuff.co.nz quoted Fuimaono-Sapolu's tweet, as saying.

It was delivered overnight as the story made headlines in Britain after Lam voiced his sadness at the slant taken against him.

Fuimaono-Sapolu had earlier tweeted: "Not a fan of Pat Lam but reading racist taunts he and polynesian players receiving from NZ is not only f**king disgusting, its not surprising."

He later clarified his stance, and said: "I should have worded it better. I meant the racists in NZ. Not NZ as a whole."

Lam had twice cried in front of a large media session in Auckland yesterday when he described the pain the racist remarks on social media, and talkback radio had brought to his family, particularly his parents. (ANI)