Samoa prop Census Johnston has said that his nation would never have participated in this year's Rugby World Cup if they had not threatened to strike last November.

The Samoans promised to strike from international rugby if new pay structures and back-room help were not implemented.

Johnston, 34, confirmed that World Rugby brokered new agreements that have revolutionised Samoa's set-up and secured their World Cup participation.

"We do feel vindicated for threatening to strike in November, even though that was an extremely tough position to be in," Johnston told reporters.

"For guys who play for tier one nations, they are just used to having very solid, very secure systems. We have had years of not being used to what is going on, and that is just a relief and a weight off the boys' shoulders."

Johnston originally retired from international rugby in April after rumours that Toulouse had a clause banning him from Test matches, but he came out of retirement in July and replaced injured Leicester prop Logovi'i Mulipola in Samoa's 31-man squad.