All competing countries have now played a game at the Rugby World Cup 2023. There have been upsets, titanic battles, admiral performances from “minnows” and the odd hiding dished out (Romania and Namibia).
Fiji’s performances, not just against the Wallabies but also Wales have been notable for how they have bucked the stereotypes of Fijian (and Pasifika) rugby i.e. that they lack game control and are all about flair with natural talents.
It has been mentioned by many the effect that the Fijian Drua has had on this; and World Rugby, Rugby Australia, NZRU and Super Rugby should all be commended for their part in supporting the creation and adoption of the Drua in to high level competition.
What’s the next step though? For the Flying Fijians it appears to be, as it has been for a number of years, an introduction in to the Rugby Championship, alongside another country (probably Japan).
This is based on the team’s performances over recent years; and the level of support that they could bring across the board with expats in Australia, New Zealand and further afield. The principle from a sporting perspective is sound, but the finances involved and protectionist nature of SANZAAR continue to make this a locked door lacking a key. And what about the likes of Uruguay, who defeated Fiji in RWC 2019, or the likes of Tonga and Samoa; what are their prospects for joining higher level competition if all of those around them end up in a ring-fenced competition to which they aren’t on the list of.
It would not benefit ambitious Samoan or Tongan players to face off against the likes of Singapore, Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea year on year, whilst waiting for the chance to play Georgia, Romania, USA, etc in World Rugby’s proposed World League (let’s not get started on that!).
Waisea Nayacalevu of Fiji leads his teammates as players of of Fiji perform the Cibi prior to the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between Australia and Fiji at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on September 17, 2023 in Saint-Etienne, France. (Photo by World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
I’ve been fairly vocal previously about my scepticism of the Moana Pasifika franchise and how it is under the control of the NZRU, effectively allowing the All Blacks to cherry pick Samoan and Tongan players under the pretence that those players were only available because the respective countries didn’t take advantage of their own resource. The fact is that under the current structure, the Samoan and Tongan unions are still having to select from what is left once New Zealand, and to a lesser extent Australia, have perused the store for the real bargains.
Super Rugby should look to break up the Moana Pasifika franchise and establish stand alone teams in the respective countries, akin to the Fijian Drua. That would be the end goal. In the meantime, teams should be established to compete in New Zealand’s NPC, or Australian NRC if that ever comes back. These two teams could then be the feeder in to Moana Pasifika with players contracted to both the unions and the franchise. Corruption at unions would need to be protected against but could be overcome and longer term could strengthen Pasifika pathways and rugby in the global region to the point where NZ, Aus, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Japan could create its own version of the 6 Nations, with costs significantly reduced and all matches played in acceptable time zones.
A similar model could be created in Africa, South Africa already accepts teams in to the Currie Cup from Namibia and Kenya, but could go further by allowing these teams to progress higher; and also add teams from Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, etc. It’s a more difficult model given the quality disparity.
The structure is already further ahead in South America with the Super Rugby Americas a few seasons in and the likes of Chile and Uruguay national teams already seeing the benefits.
Rugby as a whole and not just World Rugby needs to strategically grow the game in markets neighbouring existing customers. We would all like to have good quality teams in the USA, India, China, etc that could bring significant financial resource to the sport, but that is simply not going to happen any time soon. This isn’t the only solution but one that appears fairly obvious at present.
Unions need to accept a small slice from a larger cake. They won’t have the same control as they have had previously, but the financial benefits would be notable and ensure that our game remains global for a long way in to the future.
Campbell Ross
Roar Rookie
What a great thing it would be if, twenty years from now, the legacy left by a coordinated NZRU and ARU effort saw our Pacific island cousins with professional teams embedded in both countries; leading to local, national, and international success.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Northern Pom thats just totally ignorant. Levi Aumua is a born and bred Kiwi. Who do you expect him to play for? I really hate a preconcieved BS and a lack of research. I enjoyed this article and a lot of the comments around the ideas and other ideas but please just get the story correct. It loses nothing without telling untruths or trying to put rubbish on NZR for selecting a NZ born rugby player.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
BF and to make matter worse the NH sides send second stringers on their SH tours. Less money yet again for the host nation.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Obviously the writer hasn't heard of ' Silver Lake ' the sponsor of the NZRFU.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
TBH Bf, as we all have observed in this current RWC, there's more than a fair share of a sprinkling of PI players in a majority of NH teams. Aotearoa was & still is a ' protector' of mostly fellow Polynesian neighbours, as our government has overseen. So with the amount of Polynesians, Melanesians, & even our overall players ( now classed as ex pats ) representing these NH nations, just kinda shows up the depth they really do have.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
The rugby claims of the land of Ferrari and Versace could not be ignored! :silly:
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
You need an even number of teams, but otherwise good thinking!
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
When Moana Pasifika was created, there was an acknowledgement that the team could draw on NZ-eligible players to boost their depth. The real question is: what has the Samoa and Tongan unions done to promote their home players into the squad?
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
I, for one, will not hold my breath waiting for that to happen, S81! :silly:
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
SH unions need to accept that they can’t currently compete financially with NH clubs, specifically France, They already do! That's like saying Pope Francis is a Catholic! :happy:
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
NZ, Aus, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Japan could create its own version of the 6 Nations, with costs significantly reduced and all matches played in acceptable time zones. Study a map. Travel and hotel costs ensure costs cannot be significantly reduced; time zone differences are also inherent. I agree that Moana Pasifika has to be broken up and its licence is about to expire. Given that NZ had to recently increase its funding for RA (!!), there are questions about the long-term viability in the absence of a 'sugar daddy'. Then of course there is the downside to Fiji's RWC success; how many (NH) clubs will now target the Drua players?
Bluesfan
Right - so you do realize Levi Aumua was born in NZ? So picking off a Kiwi to potentially play for his national side..... Yip - those "Cherry Picking" Kiwi's at it again - picking fellow Kiwi players....
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
Or have a B tournament and promotion and relegation. Include USA, Japan, Tonga, Hong Kong and Samoa to begin. Two 5 nations RC tournaments. Both played over 5 weeks. Bottom side faces the top ranked team from B tournament. Top ranked side (likely Fiji) from World Cup, goes into RC. Sadly anything that does happen, will happen in 2026 post Lions.
NorthernPom
Roar Pro
Yes and no, the game needs to appear more competitive to stave off the threat that is increasingly coming from RL in the Pacific, particularly with the rise of the Tonga national RL team. The region is an "easier" solution to work out given rugby's popularity and the evidenced success that the Fijians are presenting, but I agree there will need to be compromise across the board. SH unions need to accept that they can't currently compete financially with NH clubs, specifically France, but that isn't a reason to simply point the finger. A more competitive World Cup should bring more revenue with it which should be distributed better by World Rugby. Rather than simply giving everyone equal share, why not weight in towards areas for growth, or to support ailing unions? I appreciate "should" is doing quite a lot of heavy lifting here...
NorthernPom
Roar Pro
The "smaller slice from a larger cake" part is about reducing % share of a product, with a view that the value of the overall product will increase, thus the value of the smaller % would be worth more than a larger % of a small cake. I appreciate the cherry picking comment can be seen as old trope, but there remains merit in this. The example of Levi Aumua being the most recent example of the PI via Moana Pasifika giving a player a genuine high level chance, committing to his development and then having him picked off by the NZRU. This is by no means solely a tactic by NZRU and other National unions and clubs in the NH use similar tactics. The point was to promote the idea that those players who play for Moana Pasifika should/could also be contracted by the Tongan/Samoa/Fijian/etc unions providing these countries with increased chances to retain larger numbers of increased talent.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Meanwhile the Six Nations remains a resolutely selfish fat cat closed shop. Italy was only included because it is a big rich country and filled the bye slot.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
That’s why my plan gives the top four tier two teams outside Europe two tier one matches a year. The trade off is fewer T1 v T1 matches. Matches against second fifteens is also a good idea.
Spew_81
Roar Rookie
Totally agree. They have done what they have accused us of doing. If rugby is going to grow the northern unions need to vote to share the money with the less well-off nations.
Bluesfan
Hearing from Nth commentators about how the "South" should help out the PI's when they have effectively asset stripped our countries of players, kicked off inflation in player salaries and then worked to onboard as many as possible as "project players" to the point where Ireland have more foreign born players in their backline than Irish born and Scotland are more a BaBa's team than national team. NZ has a tiny economy to generate income for the sports and have to sell our national team to generate income, Oz is deeply in debt and the sports is falling away in popularity and yet we are supposed to have the ability to finance other nations.
Spew_81
Roar Rookie
That's the real issue. The Six Nations sides make big money when southern nations go north. They also have a lot of votes when it comes to World Rugby decision making. They'll have to voluntarily reduce their income. Now that the Nations Championship has started it will be difficult for southern nations to refuse to play in the north, it would essentially be a default. Also, as the All Blacks and the Wallabies are no longer the front runners them refusing to play in the north isn't as big as threat as it used to be. Perhaps they could start by capping the payment to visiting team? Even a small amount of money would be very useful to the small nations.