A strong appeal by South Africa to add a sixth Super Rugby team perhaps opens a window to again push for a Samoan rugby franchise.
A few years ago, when Super Rugby was fiddling with a 15th team, the Samoa Rugby Union was asked by SANZAR to submit a proposal for a possible Super Rugby franchise. We are not sure if a proposal was ever submitted.
But the reality today is, we need a professional rugby franchise for our local players to aspire to, develop their talents, and most importantly, earn a living. A spinoff – though not exclusively – is strengthening Manu Samoa. Super Rugby, like Europe’s Heineken Cup, keeps the All Blacks, the Wallabies and the Springboks at the pinnacle of world rugby.
The IRB can throw us all the money and build all the academies in the world, but at the end of the day, if there is no professional franchise accessible to our local players, all that investment will be in vain.
Barring one or two who went off to Europe, the rest of the players who started and graduated from the HPU (High Performance Unit) at Alafua are either playing sevens rugby or out there driving taxis, farming or working in the public service. The flash new rugby academy at Faleata could also go the same way. Meaningless.
To fully pursue a professional franchise and insist on joining SANZAR, we have to first part our ways with our neighbours Tonga and Fiji and the failed concept of a Pacific Islands team. We have to do it on our own.
The reality is, Fiji is run by an unelected military regime and professional sport – which thrives under democratic conditions – is unrealistic there. SANZAR will not touch it with a ten-foot fishing pole.
Tonga is still coming to grips with democratic values after hundreds of years of absolute monarchical rule. Its relatively small and dispersed population and a lack of commercial institutions is not conducive to business, least professional sport.
All Pacific Islands people know why the Pacific Islands team never reached any great heights. Because it was flawed from the very beginning.
The idea was initiated by non Pacific Islanders with the idea that given the enormous rugby talents of the three, albeit very different, Pacific rugby nations, a combined team would be a killer.
The concept was easily sold to non-Pacific islanders who flocked to watch so-called Pacific Island flair in action. The reality is, Pacific Islands people never warmed to the team because they’ve always identified themselves as fiercely, Fijian, Tongan or Samoan. A West Indies idea was never going to work.
But back to a Samoan Super Rugby franchise, the first question that will be asked is how a Samoan team can be commercially sustainable. How will it pay for itself?
Before we get to that, it has to be established that the proposed Samoan Super Rugby team is not the Samoa national team. The players also should not be exclusively Samoan or be eligible to play for Samoa.
If there is a better first-five, wing or a prop in Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia or Argentina then Toa Samoa has to make space for them. Local players also should not be lulled into a false sense of security that they can just walk into the team.
For lack of a better name, we will borrow the rugby league tag and call our team Toa Samoa.
Some possible funding this column has in mind could come from a state-owned corporation like SIFA (Samoa International Finance Authority) which does its business overseas. It reportedly turns over an average WST$20 million (NZ$14 million) a year and has been sponsoring other major sports in the country.
No doubt, they would want to expand their company register in New Zealand and Australia and to South Africa, and possibly to Japan, the United States and Argentina.
The fledgling Virgin Samoa airline – an offshoot of the Virgin Airlines brand – is another possible sponsor. Aggie’s Hotels and Resorts which has now added South Pacific Waters and Meridian Tahiti Resort to its assets, has been a stalwart of Samoan rugby since the early years. There is potential for more commercial opportunity for their regionally-expanding companies by investing more in a professional rugby franchise.
There is also possible funding from the canneries in American Samoa, given that Toa Samoa is not exclusive to Independent Samoa.
If ever Super Rugby expands to the USA, there is potential for more Samoan investors there. They all love rugby.
In terms of attendance, the Samoan team does not have to be based in Samoa, though a few games at Apia Park and one at a revamped Tafuna Veterans Stadium in American Samoa is a must.
Samoans are a patriotic bunch and Toa Samoa could fill any stadium in Auckland, Wellington, Sydney and possibly Brisbane.
If Super Rugby goes to the USA, Toa Samoa could fill any Stadium from Hawaii to Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Salt Lake City. The thousands of flag-waving Samoans and American Samoans (there is no distinction when they go to the U.S) at Sam Boyd Stadium in Vegas last month is proof of that.
In fact, Samoa and other Pacific Islanders patronage and love rugby – if the IRB and SANZA could take full advantage of – could be rugby’s doorway to the massively, but elusive, American sports market.
A Toa Samoa- Canterbury Crusaders match in LA could pull the rafters down. Which raises the question, how will Toa Samoa add to Super Rugby?
After 16 years, Super Rugby has become unimaginative and uninspiring.
The addition of one South African side and two from rural Australia over the years has not turned the competition on fire. New Zealand has had the same five teams year in, year out.
Super Rugby is not so super any more. It needs not only to penetrate the lucrative sports markets in Asia and North America but also bring in new teams that play an exciting brand of rugby. Toa Samoa can provide both that.
There is plenty of Samoans in New Zealand and Australia and, given the pale faces at Super matches, most of them stay home and don’t identify with their local super rugby team. Toa Samoa will bring them out.
If Super Rugby is to expand into Hawai’i and mainland USA, the 180,000 Samoans there, their friends and other Pacific Islanders will make sure Toa Samoa does not play to empty stadiums.
What the Samoa Rugby Union needs to do right now is draw up a viable business plan and approach SANZAR the same way South African Rugby Union is doing, arguing for a sixth side.
If done right, Toa Samoa may just be the savior of Super Rugby.
IronLion
Guest
This will never happen unless USA gets into Rugby much more seriously than they are now.. Only then will Samoans be given a fair shot at Pro Rugby.. Idk if they'll have they're own franchise but it will be a start. Right now, International rugby is "owned" and "punked " around by NZ, AUS and RSA.. they will never take their foot off the gas so that developing nations, particularly Samoa, would catch up and beat them in their own game.. As much as we cry for fairness, it will never happen until the Americans intervene.An intervention of the Americans will only come when they take rugby very serious, and knowing the Americans, the Samoans will be the majority bulk of their franchise.. This is why rugby will never become anymore popular than soccer, basketball, golf, tennis, and even baseball.. its cuz its boring.. "Hey guess who won the RWC.... NZ, AUS or RSA? NZ.. ehhh, go figure!!" Btw, someone commented saying why would NZ spend a fortune developing their "players" then send them off to represent their home countries in international play? Not the same words but my translation.. Well, figure this. Wht does the NBA, or MLS, or NHL or Mob pay millions to players and develop their game at a very high professional level and tgen let them represent tbeir home countries in the olympics or other interrnational play? As a matter of fact,any many olympic athletes of countries around the world are student athletes of American Universities who are trained on American grounds and are being spent a fortune on by ways of full scholarships and such.. This rugby mess is just that, a mess.. A rather unfair mess for at least the developing coubtries. The big power house nations of Rugby will not agree to such a thing, Why? Cuz once that raw Samoan rugby talent and finely harvested, nurtured and developed to its full potential, MANU SAMOA will be unstoppable......
t0n3_nvvzil2
Guest
a very interesting article, it could fly but sponsorship is key.
enforcer
Guest
I think a key point to remember is a Samoan rugby team need not have the running budget of the Rebels or the Blue. They could run off of the smell of an oily rag by: 1) Realising the cost of living in Samoa does not equal that of Aus, NZ or SA. 2) Recruiting the best guys running around in the Island club leagues or for the semi-professional 7s outfits. Logically any income that can support them is better then what they're doing now. 3) Recruiting the best of the rest of the ITM Cup players that don't get put into Super rugby squads. This would eat into the Extended training squads of the NZ teams but they'll live. I guess what I'm saying is this franchise doesn't need to be based around calling more than 1 or 2 of the big $$$ players home from Europe. And honestly it's probably better to leave those players playing outside of Samoa because it expands the pool of professional players that they can select from. This team with probably end up as the Connacht of Super Rugby but it's value to world rugby will be worth more than any win or loss record.
filipo
Guest
Guys, I'm a proud Samoan, but like many of our island brothers and sisters, we all would love to see some form of representation in the top tier competitions. What the super franchise should look at are the following options 1. Having a pacific conference which includes a Fijian club team,Tongan club team and a Samoan club team. These teams will not be restricted to players of that ethnicity but set up similar to those from the current teams. 2. Opening up each franchise to have a quota of islander players which are eligible to play for any of the pacific Islands. All these options and comments that the other guys have included should not be laughed at but explored thoroughly. Lets remember that this is for the betterment of rugby as a game and as a spectacle. I also believe that each head of rugby in the pacific has a responsibility to not just expect SANZAR to hand anything over but to prove that such teams will not only be financially viable but would bring the game to a new level. We need to looking at as a business and start from the ground up.
p.Tah
Guest
The Rebels had a player banned for 10 weeks, must have been a brutal encounter with the Tahs...
Reece
Guest
See the cited players and injuries? no? Then don't comment. Aus conference is a joke.
ManSter
Guest
Uncle Frank Its cool as long as everyone is paying for the talent that has already had six figures invested on it.
p.Tah
Guest
51-19 bulls vs Cheetahs... That was a bruising encounter....
tamasii
Guest
mate, try justifying a samoan super team based on last year's RWC performance, the numbers and supporters that turned out to support the Tongan team (ticket sales), and the performance between the 3 islands in the iRB Pacific Nations Cup..Tonga 29-Samoa19, Fiji 36-Samoa18...mate.....I would think that these would be the numbers that likely sponsors and fans would be interested in...
Reece
Guest
There will be huge crowds in South Africa regardless. Always has been, always will be. The vast majority of South Africans and New Zealanders see the huge advantage that Australia has with this conference system and want it changed back to the classic way. RugBug, it is not only the log points that count, but how tough the games are to get those points. Do you think the Reds v Rebels or Force would be considered a bruising encouter when compared to Sharks v Bulls, Stormers v Bulls, etc...?
Rugbug
Guest
I agree this format is ridiculous and the top Australian teams do seemingly have it easier than the other conferences. However it pays to note that the Stormers accrued 33points from local derbies last year the Waratahs 31 and the Reds and Blues both on 27 points the Crusaders on 26. If anything last year the Reds were helped more so by an extremely favourable home draw but that was not their doing they had no control over the fixtures. This year however they have a dream run to begin with however when they hit the road they will hit it hard facing all the top foreign teams who reached the finals in 2011 on the road bar the Stormers who they will play at Suncorp this year. The Waratahs on the other hand have one of the sweetest draws possible however we all now how flakey this team can be and if they can not capitalize on the draw then I don't wahat to say. i'm all for a complete round robin format oppossed to this current structure as it allows for pity finalists. As is there are three Australian teams in the top 6 this is by no means they are the stronger teams but that they have yet to have any real competition the Brumbies position is helped by the fact that they have had a bye. The NZ conference has been fierce from the get go and the teams will take points off each other more so than any other conference like last year, the South African conference is shaping up also to be a real humdinger and your right the best teams may not top the table for this reason. One can not discount home advantage and in all honesty Australian teams need to take advantage of the perceived advantage that the likes of you and I plus many others believe them to have. Play to your strenghts even if it is a weak conference
Rugbug
Guest
"South Auckland virtually all Samoan" It shows how little you know about the cosmopolitan make up of Auckland. I would say there would easily be just as many Maori if not more in South Auckland than their is Samoans the same could also be said of Pakeha New Zelanders not to mention our Asian friends. South Auckland is a melting pot of cultures from all over the South Pacific and Asia. Samoans would be by far the largest Island group in Auckland as a whole their is no disputing that however to say South Auckland is virtually all samoan is a stretch of the truth by anyones imagination
Rugbug
Guest
Absolutely agree peeko, I wonder if this poster also realises that maori are polynesian too
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Reece if South Africans don't care about local derbies how do you explain the huge crowds they draw? It doesn't give Australia its own domestic competition by the way, as that would mean more teams, which oddly South Africa are effectively pushing by asking for the Kings. There's no way the Kings would be included without Australia getting another team too.
Reece
Guest
I hope this pathetic new format is soon put back to how it was. Totally unfair. The Reds get to play the Brumbies, Force and Rebels (three of the weakest sides in the competition) twice. That is technically 30 points in the bag already. The only real competition is the Waratahs. John O'neill is sly. I can see right through it, however. The South Africans don't care for "local derbies", they see all they want in the Currie Cup. The Nzers don't care for this format either. It is purely John O'neill getting Australia their own domestic competition, except it gets paid by the South Africans. On top of that, the Reds - or any top Australian side - will finish on top of the whole ladder. A 30 point advantage is too great. How can you call yourselves champions when you don't even play every team? Go back to the classic format, this is embarrassing.
mania
Guest
mace22 - how can you compare 100 years of rape and pillage of the south african people to a rugby team ? wow talk about over simplifiying and cheapening the history of apartheid. this has nothing to do with aparthied and even if it did a rugby team is not going to repeat the atrocities of SA terry is talking about a rugby team and your talking about mass murder and racism. rugby's only a game, apartheid was about ppl's lives. get off your highhorse princess.
Dean
Guest
I think adding a Samoan or Pacific Isles team is a fantastic idea. The South will only enhance our dominance over the north even more and that makes it an even better idea. Long live the South!!! http://hospitalpass.blogspot.com/2012/03/why-is-southern-hemisphere-rugby-best.html
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
A good counter-argument Denby, not easily answered, except by two or three teams in each for each island nationality, but that of course doesn't answer your point.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Terry so that adds another 55,000 I believe. It does seem peculiar they're politically separate, but that's another subject.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
In England there are three exiles teams 'London Irish' the only one to play at the top level, but there is also Scottish and Welsh. Perhaps these are a good model for exile Samoan, Fijian and Tongan teams.