Ever since the emergence of professional rugby, the Pacific Islands have produced the highest calibre of elite athletes who, individually, have developed into top tier rugby players. Tonga, Fiji and Samoa have some of the best individual talents across both Super Rugby and European clubs. Their influence transcends the hemisphere boundaries. However, at international level they have always struggled to break in as a tier-one nation. The potential these nations possess has always been hindered by economic issues and if they are to ever grow into tier-one nations then World Rugby must support them. One such way is the investment into a Super Rugby team from the Pacific Islands. In my opinion, it has the potential to become a real force over the next decade. But as always, this may be easier said than done due to numerous external factors.
Money
The main issue aside from infrastructure in these nations is the wage pull away from their home countries to mainly Europe’s elite sides. At the end of the day rugby is their day job and to set up families for life, you have to move to top Premiership and Top 14 clubs. For example, Fiji’s Semi Randranra signed a two year deal with Bordeaux Bègels in 2018 rumoured to be worth $600,000 and now at Bristol, he may be on even more. How can a Pacific Team ever match this type of wage demand? It does not take a rocket scientist to work out the answer to such a question. Simply, they can’t. Therefore, the top Pacific players will always play elsewhere, so the focus must be on young Pacific talent. Alongside this, you may find a lot of Pacific Islanders returning to play here once they have made big money elsewhere due to the love for the club and desire to reconnect with their roots.
Location
An extremely simple question must be asked- where will they play? Australia currently have five super rugby teams mixed with extreme financial difficulties. Cuts are expected. A real option is to cut some of their teams to a) make them more competitive as more internationals will be playing together but also b) the costs for Australia rugby will be massively reduced. Does this open the door to base a Pacific Team in Queensland or Sydney? Funded by World Rugby, I am sure it would start to become an attractive proposition. A key factor you have to remember is so many young Pacific schoolboys are being brought up in Australia and New Zealand as talent doesn’t go unrecognised in these tier one nations. Such players will always grow up remembering and being proud of their pacific cultures. Charles Pitau grew up in New Zealand with Tongan heritage and has stressed his desire to actually play for Tonga. Having played a year for the Highlanders before moving to Europe, would a Pacific Club side been a more attractive super rugby franchise for him? Only he can answer that. Tevita Kuridrani is another example of a player with Fijian descent but plays for the Brumbies and Australia. I wonder if a Pacific Team would have been a side that he would have been interested in playing for?
Tevita Kuridrani scoring in 2015 RWC Final
Competitiveness
Tonga, Fiji and Samoa all failed to get out their world cup groups in Japan. With notable below-par performances, some experts labelled them as embarrassing. Therefore, would a Pacific team in Super Rugby get destroyed week in week out? The argument is a fair one but I disagree fully. The standard outside of New Zealand is average at best. There is a reason why New Zealand want their own competition and South Africa want to move into European leagues. Super Rugby is stagnating and slowly dying hence it needs spicing up as soon as possible. Guess what? Spice and flare is the DNA of the Pacific Islanders, so the excitement factor with a team would 100% come to the table.
At the end of the day, Super Rugby is not growing the way it desires and with a Pacific team, there is nothing to lose as the league is already losing. Look at the Jaguares, a newly formed team in the competition- many thought they wouldn’t compete yet they reached the final in 2019. New sides must be given a chance, and right now with some financial backing, there is nothing to lose by throwing a Pacific Team in at the deep end and see what they can do. It would definitely bring new eyes to the competition.
Dream Team
A starting XV for a Pacific side could look like this if all the islanders got on board with the potential narrative of restoration that could be written over the Pacific Islands. This doesn’t even include players from tier one nations with Pacific descent.
1. Siegfried Fisiihoi (Tonga)
2. Samuel Matavesi (Fiji)
3. Ben Tameifuna (Tong)
4. Filo Paulo (Samoa)
5. Leone Nakarawa (Fiji)
6. Peceli Yato (Fiji)
7. TJ Ioane (Samoa)
8. Viliame Mata (Fiji)
9. Nikola Matawalu (Fiji)
10. Ben Volavola (Fiji)
11. Nemani Nadolo (Fiji)
12. Sinale Piutau (Tonga)
13. Semi Radradra (Fiji)
14. Josua Tuisova (Fiji)
15. Tim Nanai-Williams (Samoa)
Yato playing for Clermont against Ulster
A bit of fun now. Take a minute to close your eyes and imagine in 10 years what this team could be like. It has potential and right now Super Rugby has nothing to lose other than try something new. A mixture of young pacific talent looking for exposure and experienced journeymen is where this team starts along with a few non-islanders, and the team will only grow from there. Bill Beaumont has stressed the future of rugby must be built upon helping the growth of tier two nations. So, let’s stop talking and start acting. Say no to the fear of change. Rather, embrace it!
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