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5 All Blacks join the Pacific Rugby Players Welfare union board, including double RWC winner Jerome Kaino
Dan Leo’s Pacific Rugby Players Welfare union have added a potent line-up of eleven current players to their now 49-strong board. The impressive list of new additions, which includes five All Blacks and three Fijians, have 257 Test caps between them, the list headed by double World Cup winner Jerome Kaino.
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“I’m proud to be a part of the Pacific Rugby Welfare board to help make a positive change for Pacific rugby. Stronger together,” said Toulouse-based back row Kaino after he was unveiled as part of a roster that included four other All Blacks, Hurricanes duo Ardie Savea and Ngani Laumape, Montpellier’s Anthony Tuitavake and Bordeaux’s Seta Tamanivalu.
The three Fijians who have stepped up are Bath’s Josh Matavesi, Nevers’ Ilikena Bolakoro and Grenoble’s Tim Nagusa. They are joined by Tongan Nasi Manu, who has been with Treviso, and an American international pair, Washington’s Andrew Durutalo and Seattle’s Shalom Suniula.
These additions have enabled the PRPW to become the first players association in the world to have representatives in every major rugby competition. “The game is changing rapidly and so are the needs of our Pacific players,” said CEO Leo.
“It would be naive to think that today’s PI player concerns and struggles are exactly the same as those myself and other more senior board members had even four or five years ago. There will be similarities but rugby’s growth in places like America and Spain, which are the fastest-growing markets for Pacific players, on top of challenges like Covid-19 means we are having to adapt quickly.
WATCH ?| Pacific Rugby Players Welfare (PRPW) are proud to announce new Board Members for 2020, becoming the first Players Association in the world to have representatives in every major rugby competition ??
FULL STORY HERE: https://t.co/OuRWEx9tja pic.twitter.com/S5TbHJoAEt
— PacificRugbyWelfare (@pacificwelfare) June 11, 2020
“As a board, we realised many of us were either retired or coming to the end of our careers, so an injection of fresh blood, players who are in the prime of their careers and passionate to see Pacific rugby reach its potential, is important for us as an organisation staying in touch with the modern demands of the game.”
In a video message announcing the expanded board, Savea said: “I’m proud to be part of the Pacific Rugby Welfare board to help make a positive change for Pacific rugby.”
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Tuitavake added: “I’m really happy and privileged to be part of the board. Together we help support each other and support the Pacific rugby communities all around the world.”
Leo, whose own relocation to Australia after finishing his playing career in England has been put on hold due to the Covid pandemic, told RugbyPass last March: “It’s important our levels of advocacy for these players match the amount of influence we have in the game.
“We need the financial system to change. Changing eligibility rules would be helpful in the short term in terms of increasing competitiveness of our national teams now, but it’s not a long-term solution.
“It needs to be the system, the way money is distributed in the sport. That needs to be turned upside down. Too much wealth in the game is distributed among the top tier nations, but these bigger nations should get a bit less of the communal pot.”
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ICYMI: @danleo82 @pacificwelfare gave chapter and verse on how odds stacked against Pacific Island and @T2Rugby just weeks before the lockdown kicked in and @WorldRugby tier one nations suddenly realised what life is like without regular cashflow #StayAtHomeAndStaySafe #rugby https://t.co/Cms42ZwwOb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 29, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team does not beat the ABs sadly
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments