Pasifika athletes are being encouraged to seek advice before signing contracts with player agents.
Former NRL and Super Rugby player Tupou Sopoaga last month tweeted that two Pasifika players in his club rugby team, who had just come off the back of playing in the Super Rugby Aotearoa Under 20s competition, were feeling stressed after agents had approached them and pressured them to sign on the dotted line.
In my rugby team we have 2 of NZs brightest players that just finished the NZ20s comp.1 of them mentioned he’s a bit stressed after some agents had said, if they don’t sign with them they might not make it. Like come on man! We gotta do better!These are 18yr old kids. Island Kids Tupou Sopoaga (@TeeeSO) April 21, 2021
First Person - New Zealand s best teenage rugby players got together this month to play in the Super Rugby Aotearoa under-20 competition in Taupō.
In the opening game of the tournament the Hurricanes and the Chiefs continued their long standing rivalry, but it was a battle within the battle which had people talking: Hurricanes under-20 hooker Ben Strang coming face to face with his younger cousin, Chiefs under-20 halfback and namesake Ben Strang.
Naturally I, RNZ reporter Ben Strang, needed to get to the bottom of this story.
Chiefs under 20 halfback Ben Strang during the Super Rugby Aotearoa under 20 competition match with the Hurricanes Rugby Club under 20s on 11 April in Taupō.