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I am a huge fan of Polynesian rugby. Growing up in New Zealand, you always heard stories of big hits, flashy off loads and the human highlight reels that were produced by players in the Pacific Islands.
Guys like Brian “the Chiropractor” Lima and Rupeni Caucaunibuca.
But is the IRB doing enough to foster this talent into a competitive force on the world stage?
I don’t think so.
My Pacific Solution is as follows:
1) Have each individual island team incorporated into the Super Rugby and possibly rotate these teams through the New Zealand and Australian conferences. I think we can all agree that with the Force and Rebels, the Australian conference is weaker than the New Zealand one right now.
2) Have a West Indian style rugby team which combines all three nations, much like the Pacific Islands XV which toured briefly and provided competitive and entertaining rugby.
I don’t know anyone that disliked watching these guys. They were aggressive, showed some serious intent on attack with some adventurous offloads and running deep from their own half. Sound defence didn’t seem as important but there were still plenty of one-off hits to get your blood pumping.
However, I feel my proposal won’t even be considered. The IRB has taken little notice of the Island nations’ plight and have managed to stuff this opportunity up.
Instead of touring every two years they changed it to every four years which made the Pacific unions question the financial benefits associated with the tours. Perhaps the IRB were scared the minnows would start taking over: after all they really pushed some of the power houses.
They have only won one international match but apart from one blow out, they appeared strong. Here are some of their results against southern hemisphere teams.
Australia 29 – 14 Pacific Islander
New Zealand 41 – 26 Pacific Islanders
South Africa 38 – 20 Pacific Islanders
I should also point out that these games were all played away and I am sure once they are playing in front of friends and family the intensity and passion will increase further.
3) Include them in the tri-nations. Now that the Pumas are included, the tournament will now be the five nations. Don’t they provide a more exciting prospect than the forward dominant Argentineans?
Obviously there would need to be a Pacific Rugby Board which overlooked these matters and some good management would need to take place if they were to avoid the situation we currently have with the highly dysfunctional West Indian Cricket team.
In an international sense wouldn’t every team love the opportunity to travel and have a competitive three match test series in the Pacific Islands? Who could say no to a month in Samoa, Tonga and Fiji with their hospitable rugby mad population?
If the All Blacks toured the Pacific Islands there would be hysteria reminiscent of The Beatles in their prime. Sold out stadiums would be no issue.
But surely it can’t just be about the money, the IRB needs a Cinderella story, they need a pinup to say, “yes, we care about rugby worldwide”. At the moment it feels like it is a bunch of 65 year old white guys with long beards and extremely conservative views that call the shots.
You get the feeling the board members are just those who are left. The ones who wanted to change things probably got sick of slamming their heads against a brick wall and walked out.
If the Pacific Island players were able to play in a regular competition, such as a Super 18, players would stay rather than fly off to Europe, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. When players leave the Islands, international sides are left with very little to choose from. Players would be able to form partnerships rather than being thrown together two weeks before playing the All Blacks and being told “to give it a go”
Suddenly you are able to develop players in their home region and provide some sort of player base from which you can build. This would help to strengthen the side and increase their competitiveness on the world stage.
There is an opportunity here for the IRB to create something special. To unleash upon the world one of the finest and most feared spectacles known to rugby, fifteen proud Polynesian men, working together and providing that unique charisma, athleticism and level of brutality that no other team can seem to muster.
4) Allow players who are of Polynesian descent to play for their home country. For as far as I can remember Polynesian players have moved to the greener pasture or have relocated at a young age, have represented Australia, New Zealand and even England. If they only play one game for their adopted home country they are no longer eligible to play for their country of birth or their spiritual home.
I am implying that this is a special case as Polynesian families often move due to limited opportunity in their home countries, which has far fewer resources, infrastructure and job potential than somewhere like Australia which is currently in a mining boom. Therefore if they are no longer needed by their adopted homeland why can’t we let them go home? The selectors of the respective powerhouse countries obviously don’t consider them a threat otherwise they would still be selected.
Players like Sivivatu could head home after no longer being required by the All Blacks and still be a dominant force in Polynesian rugby, while being able to offer guidance and veteran leadership for young players coming through the ranks.
Radike Samo and his amazing afro could have been playing for Fiji rather than heading to France, Japan, Schute Shield and then the Reds after only playing six matches for the Wallabies.
He obviously wasn’t wanted by the Wallabies; there wasn’t a great upheaval when he was dropped. Fiji would love to have someone of his experience playing for them rather than watching him play well overseas with no way of enticing his talents to Fijian international duty.
This is my Pacific Solution. For the love of rugby, just do it.
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.