SEN's Matty Johns and his brother Andrew have knocked back an assistant coaching role with Samoa to work under coach Matt Parish.
Speculation has been rife of a coaching dream team forming for Samoa featuring Matty, his brother Andrew Johns and Sonny-Bill Williams.
Speaking on Drive with Joel and Fletch on 1170 SEN, Johns gave an update on the situation.
“Samoa have been massive underachievers in recent years,” Johns said on Thursday afternoon. “If you look at their one-to-17 line-up, they should be a legitimate chance to win the next World Cup, as Tonga are.
“A number of people have indicated to myself and my brother Andrew that there are existing problems as to why a number of key players won’t play for the national team.
“We wanted to change that, but they’ve made the decision to stay on the path they’re on and I accept that."
There was an offer for the brothers to take up an assistant role under Parish, which Johns has declined.
"There was talk of being an assistant, Joey and I, but you can’t make big important changes being an assistant. At the moment, that’s where it stands," he said.
"If Andrew and I wanted to go in there, you don’t want to go in there in an assistant’s role.
"You want to go in there and implement the key principles that have to be put in place.
"The big important decisions aren’t made by the assistant coaches."
Listen to the full chat here.