This story first appeared on Tuesday June 27
After all the hype around a Pacific Island team potentially entering Super Rugby, an ugly dispute between Tonga's rugby union and its players is headlining how difficult such an exercise would be.
Tonga's players have singled out the union's executives over missed payments from as far back as last year.
In a week where Tonga's rugby league stars once again put country before money and State of Origin, Tonga's rugby union players are furious after they made sacrifices but are getting nothing for it.
Pacific rugby players association's Hale T-Pole said it's a shame to see what the players are going through.
"It's quite sad to see what they're going through, as you've seen in the social media, first of all is their payment. They haven't been paid for the time away from home and in camp," said T-Pole.
"Some guys are still working and they gotta leave their job, and some guys are in Tonga who don't have a job still trying to play rugby and they don't get anything."
The players haven't received pay for the recent Pacific Nations Cup or the bonus they were promised for beating Italy last year.
Tongan star Cooper Vuna sparked an ugly war of words which follows decades of poor management by the Tongan rugby union.
"They've just gone through from year to year just doing the same old thing and just having the same old broken promises," said Vuna.
"I was just like man have to kind of make a stand if not as a playing committee but you know as a Tongan really."
Stories over the years include executives flying to a tournament while players travelled 21 days by boat.
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