The Samoa Rugby Union says it's doing all it can to support the family of sevens international Gordon Langkilde, while he awaits his next court appearance in the United States.
Gordon Langkilde is tackled during the Vancouver Sevens in March. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
22-year-old Langkilde was charged in July with battery, assault and misdemeanour following an off-field altercation with Welsh players at the Sevens World Cup in San Francisco.
Last week his hearing was delayed for a second time and it is now approaching two months since he initially arrived in the US.
Samoa's team manager Peter Poulos has stayed with Langkilde over the past few weeks and the SRU 's Zane Hilton said they were trying to keep the lines of communication between the player and his family, over 7,000 kilometres away, open.
"We've been basically driving hard to make sure that he continues the communication flow to the family as well as making sure that, again, Gordon himself is cared for in America," Hilton said.
"It is a tricky situation but he is a long way from home and again we certainly believe that knowledge is power in this event."
Hilton stressed the union was trying to support Langkilde as much as it could.
"The reality for us is we need to get him home.
"We obviously don't condone what has happened however the reality for us is he is our number one priority and his welfare is our priority," Langkilde said.
"Obviously having Peter on the ground there, we've invested heavily in that. Having Peter for that period of time, making sure that the support, through the legal support, is there for him to make sure that his family doesn't have to worry about anything whatsoever."
Langkilde is due to appear in court on September 5.
Zane Hilton Photo: Manu Samoa / Facebook
