World Rugby claims its multi-million investment has transformed Pacific Islands rugby
World Rugby believes that Saturday’s Pasifika Challenge in Auckland featuring Fiji, Samoa and Tonga is a fitting culmination for a £20million investment plan aimed at ensuring these three Pacific Island nations arrive at the World Cup in the best possible shape.
Fiji will play Tonga and Samoa face a New Zealand Heartland XV at Eden Park two years after the initial Pasifika Challenge saw Samoa take on New Zealand and Tonga play Wales at the same venue in 2017.
Ahead of this latest New Zealand celebration of Islands rugby, World Rugby has highlighted how it partnered with the three unions in a four-year high-performance support programme where direct and indirect support from the game’s governing global body is expected to reach £20 million from 2016-19.
That is apparently an increase of 30 per cent compared to the previous four-year cycle and the investment is in addition to insurance coverage and long-term high-performance initiatives such as the Pacific combine and the Fijian Drua which help to retain and develop some of the Pacific Islands’ best young talent.
“We have been working in partnership with the Pacific Islands over the last four years to tailor high performance programmes that meet their needs and are geared towards optimal preparation and performance in a Rugby World Cup context,” explained Peter Horne, World Rugby’s high performance general manager.
After a HUGE month in ?? our Fiji Airways Flying Fijians ?? out to Auckland for the Pasifika Challenge against @officialTongaRU this Saturday.
It's long now until the team departs for Japan and we are PUMPED to see them in action this weekend..#itsfijistime pic.twitter.com/AtMv8qRhBr— Fiji Rugby Union (@fijirugby) August 27, 2019
“With a comprehensive programme in place, we are confident that the Pacific Islands are in a great place heading into Japan 2019. The Pasifika Challenge II will be an excellent and highly competitive Test, giving the teams an important opportunity to fine-tune their preparations in one of the world’s most iconic rugby venues.
“World Rugby’s wider £20m commitment to the Pacific Islands in this four-year cycle includes supporting the high-performance pathway with initiatives such as the Pacific Combine, player and staff academies and the Fijian Drua and it is pleasing to see players who have graduated from these initiatives now selected for World Cup 2019.”
The Pacific Combine is a week-long skills camp run by World Rugby, in association with the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga rugby unions, consisting of a programme of on-field and off-field activities for local players who are capped but unsigned.
Teu ke tau!!
The Ikale Tahi team to face @fijirugby has been named.
Some big ins for the Tongan team with the return of Sione Kalamafoni to national duties, Siegfried Fisi'ihoi coming back in after a long layoff due to injury and Vunipola Fifita to make his potential debut. pic.twitter.com/c34OfmrnIF
— Tonga Rugby Union (@officialTongaRU) August 28, 2019
The second edition took place in Suva in March 2019, with England attack coach Scott Wisemantel overseeing it for the second year in a row, assisted by former Waratahs head coach Chris Hickey.
Top-performing players are selected into a high potential playing pool from which some players are given the opportunity to obtain a contract with a semi-professional club in Australia, New Zealand or the USA.
Flying Fijians’ scrum-half Frank Lomani was first scouted at the Pacific combine in 2018 and integrated into the Fijian Drua squad before graduating to play Test rugby.
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Clips from the #manuSamoa fundraiser in Auckland tonight. ? @radiosamoa @marylee_sau4 @teampoluleuligaga #ITSMANUTIME #PasifikaChallengeII #PasifikaChallenge #LeManu #Samoa?? #SamoaRugby #nzheartlandXV #GoManu #rwc2019 #rugbyworldcup2019 #roadtoJapan
The Drua is a three-way initiative from World Rugby, the Fiji Rugby Union and the Fiji Sports Council to fund and support a Fijian team to play in Australia’s National Rugby Championship (NRC).
Since its creation in 2017, a number of Drua players have graduated through the ranks of the Flying Fijians and seven of them will represent their country in Japan.
WATCH: The RugbyPass guide to the city of Oita which will play host to teams such as New Zealand, Wales, Australia, Fiji and two quarter-finals at the World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
End to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
7 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
3 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
3 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
3 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
2 Go to commentsNice piece of writing. And yes the Sharks pulled a rabbit from the hat and were a little lucky with that penalty try that wasn’t given… however the Sharks (with their resources) should be way more consistent and should be putting teams like Claremont away for breakfast. I expect more from them and hope they kick on now.
8 Go to commentsJust what the Sharks needed to get things going in the right direction Defence on the outside really creates havoc for the whole team and needs to be addressed.
8 Go to comments