We know sport is big business these days. All you have to look at is the Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao showdown on May 2 to realise just how big – Mayweather stands to pocket around £80 million from the fight, with the Pac-Man raking in about £55 million. Like we said, some pretty big business.

Someone who realises the costs associated in getting the best on board is Samoan prime minister and rugby boss Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi (quite the mouthful). Samoa are set to host the world’s number one team in July as part of their warm-up for the Rugby World Cup, and the PM is counting the costs of bringing the Kiwis to his shores. This from Stuff:

I wish we could use coconuts to pay for the All Blacks visit,” Tuilaepa told the Samoa Observer newspaper, “but that’s not the case. Money is required. It’s expensive.”

“If only they would accept some baskets of pawpaw and if they all ate guava, that would’ve been fine but these boys want steak, so it’s not cheap”.

Tuilaepa was responding to criticism about the high ticket prices for the match at Apia Park, where tickets range in price from $12 to $270.

Now we love our coconuts as much as the next guy, especially when they are as tasty as these, but I think the All Blacks are going to need some cold, hard cash to go ahead with the encounter. Then again, with many of the team’s players having Samoan heritage it could be seen as something of a homecoming.

[source:stuff]