The IRB has reportedly fined Samoan winger Alesana Tuilagi $10,000 because he wore a "branded" mouthguard for his team's World Cup pool match against Fiji last weekend.

This followed confirmation on Thursday that England had been let off with a slap on the wrist and a touchline ban for a couple of low-ranking team officials after illegally switching the ball for two conversion attempts in their game against Romania.

3News reported that the IRB had confirmed the $10,000 fine slapped on Tuilagi for his "branded" mouthguard which did not meet specified requirements.

When news of the fine hit social media network Twitter, reaction to the IRB's treatment of the cash-strapped Samoan team wavered between outrage and injustice.

"So England swap the ball for conversions and the IRB does nothing. Samoa wear the wrong brand of mouthguard and get fined 10k. Incredible," wrote John Campbell of popular TV3 show Campbell Live.

At a time when the IRB is under fire for its inequitable distribution of massive World Cup profits and its unwillingness to provide financial tournament support for some of the lower-ranked nations, this move will no doubt draw criticism.

Samoan player Eliota Sapolu, who has already been cautioned over his criticism of the IRB on Twitter, said of the fine: "You [would] think the fact players are wearing mouth guards protecting themselves would outweigh exclusive deals to make more money!"