The Pacific Islanders team that could dominate the World League
Ever since the controversial proposed plans for a World League tournament were leaked to the public earlier this week, the exclusions of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga have left players, fans, pundits and administrators puzzled and confused.
As three of the biggest contributors to the game of rugby have been left in the cold by World Rugby executives in favour of the more financially prosperous nations of Japan and the USA, the chorus of disapproval for the World League grows louder.
Support for the Pacific nations have come from all corners of the globe in the wake of the revelations made by the New Zealand Herald, which reported that the three Pacific Island nations are set to be ignored from an annual 12-team international competition, with no chance of inclusion for the next 10 to 12 years.
Their exclusion doesn’t just mean that they will miss the opportunity to play regularly against tier one nations every season, but it also means these financially-embattled unions will be denied the NZ$10-14 million per year that the participating countries will be guaranteed, thanks to the support of an unknown broadcaster which has tabled an offer for the broadcasting rights.
The ensuing outrage has led to calls for Fiji, Samoa and Tonga to boycott this year’s World Cup in Japan, which has garnered serious consideration from leading Pasifika figures, including Pacific Rugby Players Welfare boss Daniel Leo.
While no official comment has yet been made from World Rugby explaining their decision to refrain from including three of the most exciting and naturally talented sides on the planet from their World League plans, their reasoning is obvious.
With a combined population of just 1.2 million between the three countries, the consumer market just isn’t there compared to the vast audience potential in Japan (population: 126.8 million) and the USA (325.7 million).
A broader television audience and more potential to fill bigger stadiums equals larger revenue, and with that, the Pacific nations, who have provided us with a raft of international upsets and a multitude of legendary players, are out.
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Fiji can feel especially hard done by.
While Samoa and Tonga have significantly contributed to the sport and proved their ability on the world stage – Samoa defeated Wales at the 1991 and 1999 World Cups, and Tonga followed by overcoming France in 2011 – both countries have struggled in recent seasons due to corruption allegations and severe financial insecurities within their national unions.
Fiji, however, have continued to go from strength-to-strength over the past few years under the guidance of head coach John McKee.
A gradual climb up the world rankings following a string of positive results against tier one sides – including a landmark 21-14 win over France in Paris last year – has seen them settle in ninth place, higher than that of Argentina (10th), Japan (11th), the USA (13th) and Italy (15th), all of whom are included in the World League plans.
Despite this, they join Samoa and Tonga on the scrapheap with no prospect of gaining entry alongside rugby’s elite for at least the next decade.
The obvious alternative is to provide a promotion-relegation mechanism to allow these sides a chance to compete with the world’s best, but World Rugby’s plans leaked to the public shows no evidence of that being implemented.
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If there is no chance of each individual nation winning a spot in the World League, whether it be as one of the 12 teams in a ring-fenced tournament or as one of the challengers in a promotion-relegation battle, then it begs the question if a combined bid to join the competition as a Pacific Islanders outfit could sway World Rugby’s stance on the matter.
It’s been 11 years since the Pacific Islanders last fielded a team, with Samoa withdrawing its allegiance with Tonga and Fiji after three tours in four years due to a lack of financial gain that the tours were intended for.
They only managed three wins from 11 outings (almost all were against full-strength tier one nations), but the Pacific Islanders fielded formidable sides that produced far more interest than the individual countries of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga were able to muster on their own.
Their inaugural tour of New Zealand and Australia in 2004 was particularly successful, pushing the All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks to the limit in consecutive weeks, while successfully accounting for the Waratahs and a Queensland XV.
The competitiveness against three of the world’s best sides shown by the Pacific Islanders at the first time of asking illustrated their immense potential to wreak havoc globally if they had played on a regular basis.
That statement still holds true presently, as a modern day Pacific Islanders side could call upon some of the most exciting athletes the game has to offer.
Just picture a team that can combine the services of Fiji’s Leone Nakarawa, Semi Radradra and Josua Tuisova with Samoa’s Tim Nanai-Williams and Alapati Leiua, as well as Tonga’s Ben Tameifuna and Sonatane Takulua.
Their ability to compete would be just as good as any of the other 11 teams within the World League set-up, yet the passion and flair on offer in their gameplay would likely be unparalleled.
That aspect of entertainment while providing a stern test for the likes of New Zealand, England and Ireland would make the Pacific Islanders a side most rugby fans would pay to see, whether it be in the form of a match ticket or on subscription-based television.
An overwhelming demand from money-paying fans to watch such a promising, exciting outfit would make it difficult for any broadcaster to ignore.
The threat posed by the Pacific Islanders for top-tier international sides would only grow stronger with the financial benefits afforded to them upon their inclusion in the World League.
NZ$10-14 million shared between Fiji, Samoa and Tonga is exponentially more than what they currently yield, and for a trio of countries that have a tendency of upsetting teams like France, Scotland, Wales and Australia off a shadow of a shoestring budget, the potential that lies for a wealthy syndicate of Pacific nations is immeasurable.
There are obviously other pressing concerns at the forefront of this World League proposal that needs ironing out – most notably player welfare issues and the structure of the competition – but if this tournament is to get going in any way, shape or form, then the concept of reinstating the Pacific Islanders needs to be considered if the individual Pacific nations are going to be continually left out.
Potential Pacific Islanders World League team:
1. Campese Ma’afu (Fiji), 2. Motu Matu’u (Samoa), 3. Ben Tameifuna (Tonga), 4. Steve Mafi (Tonga), 5. Leone Nakarawa (Fiji), 6. Dominoko Waqaniburotu (Fiji), 7. Jack Lam (Samoa), 8. Viliame Mata (Fiji), 9. Sonatane Takulua (Tonga), 10. Tusi Pisi (Samoa), 11. Josua Tuisova (Fiji), 12. Siale Piutau (Tonga), 13. Semi Radradra (Fiji), 14. Alapati Leiua (Samoa), 15. Tim Nanai-Williams (Samoa)
Bench: 16. Manu Leiataua (Samoa), 17. Logovi’i Mulipola (Samoa), 18. Ma’afu Fia (Tonga), 19. Tevita Cabubati (Fiji), 20. TJ Ioane (Samoa), 21. Frank Lomani (Fiji), 22. Ben Volavola (Fiji), 23. Vereniki Goneva (Fiji)
Rugby World Cup Japan City Guides – Oita:
Comments on RugbyPass
I think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
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
6 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.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 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.
61 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.
8 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
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to comments