1
Is it time to expand The Rugby Championship to include Fiji and Japan?
The failed Nations Championship proposal was touted as a vehicle to promote various tier two nations like Fiji, Japan and USA into a rolling annual global tournament.
ADVERTISEMENT
The promised riches to be shared would fill the coffers of Southern Hemisphere unions and World Rugby, while simultaneously taking from the pockets of the North, who would be forced to give up their own ‘revenue-generating’ windows to make it work.
The performances of Fiji and Japan at this year’s World Cup has given credibility to the idea that these two nations are ready for higher competition. It would be well-deserved based on their showings so far.
What Dan says ? https://t.co/SejZsTQYrE
— Ben Ryan (@benjaminryan) October 9, 2019
The question is how much of their own power would SANZAAR nations be willing to forgo to expand The Rugby Championship to include these two teams and make them competitively viable long-term. With the Nations Championship off the table, is there anything stopping SANZAAR expanding The Rugby Championship on their own?
Some have been quick to lay blame on the Northern Hemisphere, with no geographical proximity to the Pacific nations, for the failure of their development.
It is rich to see NZR figures decry the state of the Pacific countries when they themselves benefit from the systemic imbalance of power that funnels some of the best young Pacific players to always pick the black or green and gold jersey in order to provide for their families.
Fiji’s performance at the Rugby World Cup in 2019, pushing Australia and Wales in highly entertaining and absorbing fixtures, also wouldn’t be possible without one nation – France.
ADVERTISEMENT
Had a player like Australian rugby league representative Semi Radradra not been locked into representing Fiji after playing Sevens for them in 2011, it is almost certain that another tier one nation would have secured his services after his NRL career with the hopes of him representing their nation.
Because he isn’t eligible for any other nation but Fiji, the highest wage he can earn in rugby union is in the Top 14 in France, or perhaps the Gallagher Premiership, where a privatised club largely free from national interests, can offer him a job which keeps him in the game.
The offers from Super Rugby clubs without the support from Rugby Australia would be far less (if at all on the table) without the carrot of becoming a Wallaby. The same applies to New Zealand.
Whether by design or coincidence, the careers of Pacific players ineligible for the All Blacks do not last long in New Zealand.
ADVERTISEMENT
Compare the careers of Fijian-natives Sitiveni Sivivatu and Rupeni Caucaunibuca. After the 2003 World Cup, Caucaunibuca was a prized signature sought after by French clubs after just three seasons and 14 games for the Blues.
Sivivatu, arriving in New Zealand at 15-years-old, had an illustrious career in New Zealand spanning 11 seasons. Without being eligible for the All Blacks, Caucau could never earn close to what was on offer overseas. Sitivatu could.
Looking at a more recent example, had Sevu Reece represented his native Fiji, how long would it have been before he would have forced to go overseas to reach somewhere near his real market value?
It would be plausible that as a result, Radradra stays in rugby league or finds a Super League club to continue his life as a professional athlete without a Top 14 contract, robbing fans of his fantastic 2019 Rugby World Cup showing and some of Fiji’s ability to compete.
Semi Radradra could not feasibly represent Fiji and make a decent living as a professional rugby player without a private league like the Top 14. This is also the case with many of the other Fijian players.
The French domestic league isn’t perfect by any means*, but the removal of national interests by some degree from contracting gives every elite Pacific player a chance to play rugby professionally and represent their home nation that can only offer ‘pocket money’ as match fees.
*The FFR has added further restrictions recently, which is creating adverse effects towards creating French eligible players through Pacific talent exploitation. They are also known to encourage pacific players not to play internationally in order to turn out for the clubs.
This is currently both the only way to make Fiji competitive internationally and also a roadblock to Fiji reaching its full potential.
The irony of Steve Hansen’s finger-pointing and blame towards the Northern Hemisphere countries for the state of Pacific rugby is that one of them is actually enabling them to be somewhat competitive.
France is providing the bulk of the pro system for the Fiji national side, that pays the players and keeps them playing at a high level but on increasingly difficult terms. Six of the seven starting backline against Wales currently play for French clubs. The FFR is also looking to get the next generation of them wearing blue, not white in the future.
The conundrum for NZR and RA is whether they will actively go out of their way to concede power in order to strengthen Pacific unions, taking steps to end their own benefit they receive of holding systemic financial power over them.
Would the NZR pool together SAANZAR broadcast rights revenue from an expanded Rugby Championship and share with the Fiji Rugby Union, in the same way they wanted the RFU to split the Twickenham-gate earnings or pool and share Nations Championship revenue? It’s a bit different when the shoe is on the other foot and it’s coming out of your pocket and not into it.
Imagine if the Fiji Rugby Union could pay proper match payments to players that would start to even out the imbalance through a cut of say $25m to $30m of an expanded SANZAAR pie. However, if each SANZAAR participant just continued to take their home rake and only pool non-core markets, an expanded competition wouldn’t change much.
Would SAANZAR allow for and partly subsidise a Pacific-island Super Rugby franchise, to give Fijian-players a pathway through to the top side in their own backyard instead of France? This is the organisation that just cut Japan’s only Super Rugby club past-2020, making Japan’s future path to The Rugby Championship that much harder to come to fruition.
There are many structural issues at hand that need to be overcome to push tier two nations into tier one status and part of it includes tier one nations abdicating and acting outside their ‘own interests’ to make it happen. It would take nations to undertake extensive work outside their bordered jurisdictions. If they don’t want to, then that’s perfectly fine, but don’t finger point at others for ‘protecting their own interests’.
It’s the Southern Hemisphere nations that probably hold the most influence over whether it does or not.
If this is what Fiji can do with basically only grants from World Rugby, imagine what could happen if they were on a more level playing field. But perhaps the thought of what they could do is too much for some to make it happen.
Rugby World Cup predictions:
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
2 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
2 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to comments