Minnows given cash boost
Cardiff
September 23, 1999

More than £200,000 has been given in grant aid from the International board to eight of the 'lesser' nations at the World Cup.
The USA, Samoa, Spain, Tonga, Fiji and Romania will each receive £30,000, while Namibia and Uruguay are set for £15,000 each.
The aid is designed to cover the cost of pre-tournament training, player allowance and kit. One of the beneficiaries , Romania, were forced to play a warm up match last week in borrowed kit, highlighting the financial plight of some of the have-nots at the tournament.
"We certainly appreciate the problems that have been overcome, and the sacrifices that have been made by the smaller unions and their players,'' said IRB chief executive Stephen Baines. "We hope that this support will go some of the way towards meeting their concerns," he added.
"Namibia and Uruguay were each allocated less because they had already received previous financial assistance from the Board with their World Cup preparations."

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