Samoa's rugby union chairman and Prime Minister, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, says top local rugby players may in future be banned from playing for overseas clubs following Manu Samoa sevens' failure to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Samoa, which is the IRB champion, was defeated by England in the quarter finals.
Tuilaepa has told reporters the sudden decision of top rugby sevens player, Uale Ma'i, to leave for a six-month contract in Spain in the weeks before the Commonwealth Games was a contributing factor to the defeat.
However, he praised the milestone achievement by the Samoan weightlifting team whose three gold medals were the country's first Games victories.
The prime minister says a cabinet meeting this week will finalise a programme to welcome the team and to discuss an appropriate financial reward for the gold medalists.
