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There has been much discussion in the previous week about the direction of the Super Rugby competition with an additional South African team and expanding into the Japanese and South American markets.
While this would be great for the game as a whole, expanding the Rugby Championship with an additional combined Pacific Island team and retaining these players in Super Rugby would be a great way to complement the expansion of the world’s premium provincial Rugby competition.
Many have argued against the Pacific Islanders as having teething and administrative problems that have hindered the Unions’ potential. These are valid points – but every cost presents an opportunity.
The Pacific Island team could easily use North Harbour stadium, just outside Auckland, as its home ground. The surrounding area is heavily populated with Fijian, Samoan and Tongan peoples who have emigrated to New Zealand.
New Zealand is a rugby-mad country, so filling stadiums with a local crowd wouldn’t be an issue, and difference in time zones and broadcasting would be a non-issue. Doubts about revenue and profitability are less of a concern.
The other legitimate question would be player welfare and the amount of rugby our top players are already playing. I don’t see this as too much of a problem.
It would be a great drawcard for Australian fans in particular. While on tour the Pacific Island teams would be great challenge for the Wallabies and could play regular fixtures out of Canberra, Newcastle, the Gold Coast and Adelaide.
Another valid other question that would be raised is that the Pacific Island team would not be able to play in front of their home islands. Playing out of New Zealand may diminish their reputation.
This can be overcome by each week training and holding open training sessions in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa respectively. However, the locals at North Harbour stadium would embrace the team with open arms.
Another way to overcome this would be for Fiji, Tonga and Samoa to play one another in a separate competition during the Super Rugby season, similar to how the African Nations Cup operates with football.
There would be obstacles and flaws in this idea – coaches would have to add more players to their roster, which comes at a cost. The Waratahs, Blues, Suntory and European clubs would be unwilling to release their players from domestic duty.
The inclusion of a Pacific Island team to the Rugby Championship would boost rugby’s profile throughout the eorld. The Pacific Islanders, when first pitched to the IRB, was marketed as the ‘West Indian’ equivalent of rugby.
The Pacific Islands are packed with talent, much of which unfortunately has gone to waste. How many developing Polynesian players, the likes of Lopeti Timani, Alfi Mafi, Ben Volavola in Australia alone, and many others fringe players in their trade in Japan, New Zealand and France would gladly represent their country of birth if given the opportunity.
This would have a positive impact on rugby as a whole, and there would be a positive effect on the current Super Rugby franchises, with players getting more exposure to the raw talent that many Polynesian players possess; which in time would translate to a more successful and entertaining provincial model.
This idea is certainly in its infancy, discussed over a merry fathers’ day lunch, so I would more than welcome a debate or any positive ideas on this matter.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.