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With World Rugby, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) and Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) announcing the introduction of a Fijian side to the National Rugby Championship – with a possible view to enter Super Rugby in the mid-term – questions have been raised about what Todd Greenberg are doing in Fiji and the Pacific.
In some ways, the ARU announcement counteracts the Fijian bid to enter a NSW Cup side from 2017.
While the NRL does have its positive NRL Pacific program in the schools and communities of Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, it is Australian taxpayer-funded and there are similar, better-funded initiatives by rugby union from Australia and New Zealand.
With the NRL proclaiming the million upon millions of revenue and cash they are making, the financially struggling ARU is still able to expand and grow rugby union through the World Rugby-funded Fijian NRC side.
Not only is World Rugby funding the new NRC Fijian side, but they have also recently announced a rugby sevens tournament in Oceania on the back of Fiji’s success in the game’s shortest format, which has Fijian rugby union growth set to explode and leave rugby league in its wake if nothing more is done in the Pacific by the 13-man code.
Former rugby league and union international Lote Tuqiri stated on Fox Sports News, “I think first and foremost with World Rugby funding it’s more so for (Fiji).
“You will see kids over here wanting to play for that team, who have grown up here like myself.
“It will just be good for Australia as well. That talent will come through and you’ll have more kids playing and that’s the main thing.”
“A lot of these players have to go over to Europe to become professional players,” former Wallabies player, Phil Waugh, told Fox Sports News.
“Now it’s an opportunity for them to stay at home in Fiji and have exposure to what’s a very very good competition in the NRC and then building towards the Super Rugby.”
The Fijian NRC team is a safe option for local players and is a boost for the sport in general, but it will also provide union with a leg-up over their cross-code rivals in the Pacific.
So how should the NRL respond? Over to you, Roarers.
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