Want to help Pacific Island rugby? Give the players the power to choose
In a week where World Rugby revealed a bit more of its agenda than it probably wanted to, the overshadowing of the real problem in the game has been palpable.
Yes, the 2023 Rugby World Cup got awarded to France because there’s more money to be made there than Ireland and South Africa. At best it’s pragmatic, at worst it’s cynical given the bizarre roundabout way they went about doing it – but everyone can agree that it’s obvious that international rugby needs more money rather than less.
Ireland will whinge long and hard about the decision, because that’s what the Irish seem to want to do about everything that doesn’t go their way these days. South Africa will feel somewhat bemused, given that they were more or less told it was theirs to lose just a fortnight ago. So it’s likely we’ve only just started hearing the recriminations about how it all went down.
Even though it’s clear that the decision was completely based on dollars and (at least in World Rugby’s eyes) sense. But it shouldn’t cloud the much more important financial situation that’s affecting the have nots of the rugby world.
This all comes at the same time that the Samoan Rugby Union has declared bankruptcy and the national team members are relying on public handouts to simply make it through their tour of the UK without operating at a loss. It’s the latest in an ongoing saga – and if it seems like it’s been going for years now, it’s because it has.
Conversely, there’s been some serious rumblings down in the southern hemisphere regarding the future of the game in the Pacific – albeit through a different code. The Rugby League World Cup has been tipped on its head thanks to a stacked Tongan side taking out the New Zealand Kiwis in pool play, thanks in no small part by the defection of star Kiwi lock Jason Taumalolo.
Taumalolo has recently signed the NRL’s largest ever contract, worth AUD $10m over the next decade with the North Queensland Cowboys. He is set, and doesn’t need the lure of national or State of Origin selection to guarantee his financial future. Due in part to an acrimonious relationship with Kiwi coach Davis Kidwell, Taumalolo chose to play for Tonga – strengthening a team already boosted by the inclusion of Andrew Fifita in similar circumstances.
League, unlike union in this part of the world, is run by the clubs. It often makes the international game seem like a bit of a farce, given that the eligibility laws also allow players to switch allegiance seemingly at will.
However, is it? Is it necessarily a terrible thing that the Tongan league team are now world beaters thanks to a few players deciding that they’d rather play for them than the traditional superpowers? And also, isn’t that what those critical of the All Blacks and other nations taking Pacific Island eligible players want?
Is it finally time to admit that the perceived strength of rugby union is also, for nations like Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, probably its biggest weakness? The events surrounding Samoa’s financial woes reveal that that strength only benefits the ones at the top of the pile. The solution may be the one thing that NZ Rugby dreads the most: opening the borders on eligibility, and decentralizing teams to allow them to contract more foreign players.
It’s this switch of power that would make the difference to Pacific Island players, not just relaxing eligibility rules. Because really, would it change too much by letting former All Blacks and others go back and play for the islands? All they would have is top heavy teams and the same threadbare approach that would mean promising players based in Europe would most likely stay there for the test window. Sustainability is the key here, not just some quick fix that presumes that former All Blacks are just going to swoop in and save Samoan rugby.
It’s the union equivalents of Taumalolo that need to be making the switch, who are at the peak of their powers, rather than guys in their 30’s who have been playing in Europe. Once they have the money and security, then they can start to make the choice to play for the islands.
Then World Rugby can start doing something about the revenue sharing model. Because we could all forgive them for the debacle over the hosting rights for the World Cup, and even their thinly veiled reasoning that it will make them a ton more money – if that money actually goes to who needs it.
But, by 2023, it might be be too late for the Pacific Islands.
READ MORE:
The big issue: unfairness, welfare and the myth of ‘poaching’ in Pacific Island rugby
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments