Colourful times that deserve to continue

Thousands turn out to see the All Blacks and Manu Samoa during a parade in Apia. Photo / Dean Purcell

There is much to admire about the Samoan people any time, but to see how they have come together to celebrate today's historic test at Apia Park reminds me yet again of their generous spirit, incomparable hospitality, and unbridled passion for the things and for the people they love. We could all be a bit more Samoan in our everyday lives if you ask me; life would be a damn sight more colourful.

It was sure colourful at yesterday's public function. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi took the colourful theme seriously when he suggested the All Blacks had been an "elusive scarlet pimpernel", which makes absolutely zero sense but what does it matter? I'm still trying to figure out the reference. Perhaps he was thinking of John Campbell at the time. That I can imagine. Quite how the All Blacks can be compared to Sir Percy Blakeney, though, is beyond me.

Mind you, the same PM once stated that but for a poor refereeing decision the organisation would be in sound financial shape. That made very little sense too, so at least there's some form there. It'll be colourful this afternoon too, as New Zealand hunkers down in a polar blast to watch the All Blacks run out in front of 8000 Samoan fans and into a further 23 of them. You want to talk about meaningfulness and charity? Well there'll be plenty of the former but very little of the latter once that whistle blows.

There is an awful lot of charity flowing out of these small islands this week, and while you'd have to have plaque in the soul not to be able to appreciate what this gesture means to the Samoan people, it does strike me as odd that this All Blacks evangelical mission is getting all the good press while last year's, to the United States, was derided as nothing more than a gimmick.

That trip, and that test at Soldier Field, sparked a new appreciation of the game in the United States, and the goodwill generated by it still flows through the amateur clubs of the country and through the fans of the sport throughout the North American continent. It was seen as a coming of age for stateside rugby, and the game's administration was quick to ensure practical steps were taken to manage its growth and potential.

Let's hope this test is seen as a beginning too; a chance for the Samoan Rugby Union to showcase itself as a more enlightened, more energetic and more responsible organisation, capable of supporting its best and brightest players and capitalising on this unprecedented week in its history.

I chatted to former Manu Samoa captain Filipo Levi in Auckland last week as he recalled that last game against the All Blacks in 2008, when he led a hastily-arranged team to an absolute shellacking in New Plymouth. He shakes his head when he thinks about that scoreline, but when we turned our attention to today's game, he was overcome with pride - in his country, in his team and in his people. That's the emotion that needs to be recognised, and capitalised on. He, and others like him are the figures that deserve to be celebrated and remembered today.

And it's good to celebrate this day, to understand that professional sport is not always about the cash, and to witness a moment Samoans will remember for generations to come. I just hope credit goes to the right people - to the 23 men on the field who will represent their families, their villages, their forebears and their nation with all the pride they can muster, and to the Samoan fans for whom rugby has always been about passion and power.

Let's just hope this is one of many more colourful days to come, and that the colour we're all talking about is black - both on the accounting ledger of the Samoan Union and on the jersey worn by the men the Manu will face on a much more regular basis.