Fiji, Samoa and Tonga to form two Pacific Islander Super Rugby teams in ‘game-changing’ deal

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

Great news Shirley?

RUGBY UNION | OWEN SLOT

Fiji, Samoa and Tonga to form two Pacific Islander Super Rugby teams in ‘game-changing’ deal

Owen Slot, Chief Rugby Correspondent

Wednesday March 24 2021, 5.00pm, The Times

A potentially historic transformation of rugby in the Pacific Islands was put in place today with the pledge of more than £7 million of funding from World Rugby to help create two new franchises to play in the Super Rugby competition starting next year.

The two teams that would be formed are the Fiji Drua, which would be a solely Fijian team, and Moana Pasifika, which is to be a combination of Samoan and Tongan players. Their inclusion in Super Rugby has yet to be rubber-stamped by New Zealand Rugby. However, The Times understands that all the financial agreements are now in place for it to go ahead.

The Pacific Islands are the great providers of rugby talent to the world but have never come close to fulfilling their potential in the XV-a-side game on the world stage. However, according to Ben Ryan, who coached Fiji to the Olympic sevens gold medal five years ago, this new arrangement “could be the game-changer”. He said: “To get a professional rugby franchise on the island was the No 1 thing that we needed. This is brilliant.”

“This is the missing piece to our rugby puzzle,” John O’Connor, the chief executive of the Fiji Rugby Union, said.

If, as expected, the teams are now welcomed into Super Rugby, Fiji Drua will be based in Suva. The Moana Pasifika team will be based in New Zealand, primarily because there is not the infrastructure, mainly medical, to stage regular games in Samoa or Tonga.

World Rugby will fund both new teams to the tune of £1.2 million a year for an initial three-year period. The funding is part of a tri-partite arrangement where the national governments will be a partner and a third partner will come from private investment. All three sides of the deal are now in place for both teams.

If these two teams are welcomed into Super Rugby, as World Rugby now expects them to be, it is hard to understate the potential impact it could have on rugby on their islands and the success of their national teams.

It has become a traditional part of the World Cup sideshow that Fiji, Samoa and Tonga arrive without many of their best players and without many of the advantages that fuel the campaigns of the more successful nations. Finally, the Pacific Islands have a genuine chance of hitting the heights themselves because they will get to see what the competition is like on a more level playing field.

The creation of these franchises means that the three nations need no longer be providers of professional rugby players to the rest of the world because there will now be jobs for them at home. The income made by professional rugby players playing abroad, and then sent back home, makes rugby one of the biggest industries in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

Too often, though, players find they cannot escape club contracts to play international rugby, many players have switched nationalities, and many others have found adapting to European life to be an unhappy cultural and mental challenge. Many players will no doubt continue to follow the money abroad. However, the difference now is that they will have a choice.

The franchises will also provide a link between the academies at home and the national team. All three nations produce large numbers of playing talent, but there was never a pathway to the top.

Now the best young players can decide to play for these new franchises and there will then be a link to the national team. This will allow a core of the national team players to practise and play together. It will also mean that there is no problem for player release during international windows.

No coaches have yet been appointed to these teams but it is understood that Vern Cotter, the Fiji coach, will be either a consultant to the Fiji Drua or its head coach.

[Puja]

That is phenomenal news! Great work by the IRB and by New Zealand.

Does that bugger up the Australian hopes for a cross-Tasman tournament - do NZ need Aus now that they've got a putative 7 team tournament?

Puja

[zer0]

Seven teams isn't that much better than five, especially if they'll be weaker to start, so expect there will still be some form of Trans-Tasman competion. But if it does all come through NZR then I'll love to see how the Ockers try weasel their way in.

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

What's happened with the Jaguares and Sunwolves? I think I read somewhere that the Sunwolves are just defunct. Argentines looking to see where the chips fall?

[Which Tyler]

[Puja]

What's happened with the Jaguares and Sunwolves? I think I read somewhere that the Sunwolves are just defunct. Argentines looking to see where the chips fall?

Jaguares have become the team that Argentina enters in SLAR (the new South American pro league) so they're definitely not coming back. Bit of a shame, cause it absolutely stitched up Ceibos, who were the previous entrants, and means that they're back to not having a team in Cordoba again.

Puja

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

What's happened with the Jaguares and Sunwolves? I think I read somewhere that the Sunwolves are just defunct. Argentines looking to see where the chips fall?

Jaguares have become the team that Argentina enters in SLAR (the new South American pro league) so they're definitely not coming back. Bit of a shame, cause it absolutely stitched up Ceibos, who were the previous entrants, and means that they're back to not having a team in Cordoba again.

Puja

That's, like, a thing?
I take it all back about England needing less professional teams!

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

I guess it never made sense geographically, whereas now Fiji can go in with the Australians and Samoa/Tonga with NZ? Would make two groups of 6?
Doesn't solve the fact that Aus probably need 3 teams less to be remotely competitive but ho-hum.

[Puja]

What's happened with the Jaguares and Sunwolves? I think I read somewhere that the Sunwolves are just defunct. Argentines looking to see where the chips fall?

Jaguares have become the team that Argentina enters in SLAR (the new South American pro league) so they're definitely not coming back. Bit of a shame, cause it absolutely stitched up Ceibos, who were the previous entrants, and means that they're back to not having a team in Cordoba again.

Puja

That's, like, a thing?
I take it all back about England needing less professional teams!

It's only had one season so far and that first season was Coronaed partway through, but yes, in theory it's a thing: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%BA ... a_de_Rugby

Puja

[Doorzetbornandbred]

I guess it never made sense geographically, whereas now Fiji can go in with the Australians and Samoa/Tonga with NZ? Would make two groups of 6?
Doesn't solve the fact that Aus probably need 3 teams less to be remotely competitive but ho-hum.

There's 153 Aussies currently playing Pro rugby around the world. If they can get 30% of them to stay/return they'd be in a healthy position.

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

But they can't. Because they're broke. And Aussies would rather watch 13 similarly sized men stand in a straight line and do the fish when tackled.

[morepork]

They'll have a job tearing away Kiwi Samoans and Tongans from league, but if they do, then they'll rock and roll. Samoa has had a lot of problems with corrupt officials in the game, and there will have to be some honest and transparent oversight of the finances.

[Lizard]

They'll have a job tearing away Kiwi Samoans and Tongans from league, but if they do, then they'll rock and roll. Samoa has had a lot of problems with corrupt officials in the game, and there will have to be some honest and transparent oversight of the finances.

None of the Island nation’s administrations are squeaky clean. Presumably, as private franchises, these teams will be operated at arm’s length from the national Unions?

[Jethro]

Can see a few problems with the long term viability of 2 additional Pacific Teams, NZ being a Pacific Nation itself.

1. I believe Fiji are the only contender with an International level ground, Samoa and Tonga lacking in this?

2. After the funding runs out, how exactly are the minor nations going to afford the cost of a Super outfit?

3. Fiji have a team in the national comp in Oz, but it's not exactly knocking the door down.

[Puja]

Can see a few problems with the long term viability of 2 additional Pacific Teams, NZ being a Pacific Nation itself.

1. I believe Fiji are the only contender with an International level ground, Samoa and Tonga lacking in this?

2. After the funding runs out, how exactly are the minor nations going to afford the cost of a Super outfit?

3. Fiji have a team in the national comp in Oz, but it's not exactly knocking the door down.

1) I believe the Samoa/Tonga team is expected to run out of Auckland for the most part.

2) If it's even a minor success, why would the funding run out? The IRB would want to keep a method of supporting the PIs that didn't involve enriching the administrators.

3) While wishing to show all due respect to the Australians, who the hell cares about the NRC? It's a minor team in a minor competition with minor funding and local players, who have so little draw that they regularly get raided by American clubs for players. I'm not saying that Fiji will be able to get Radradra and Yato back for a Super Rugby side, but they'll be able to get better players than the Drua did.

Puja

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

Yes to all that. Also on funding, I would hope that there will just be such a groundswell of goodwill to these two teams that World Rugby will make it work come what may. They've absolutely got to keep the Unions (which are also pretty much the government) at arms length, let's just hope it all works out.

[Jethro]

Can see a few problems with the long term viability of 2 additional Pacific Teams, NZ being a Pacific Nation itself.

1. I believe Fiji are the only contender with an International level ground, Samoa and Tonga lacking in this?

2. After the funding runs out, how exactly are the minor nations going to afford the cost of a Super outfit?

3. Fiji have a team in the national comp in Oz, but it's not exactly knocking the door down.

1) I believe the Samoa/Tonga team is expected to run out of Auckland for the most part.

2) If it's even a minor success, why would the funding run out? The IRB would want to keep a method of supporting the PIs that didn't involve enriching the administrators.

3) While wishing to show all due respect to the Australians, who the hell cares about the NRC? It's a minor team in a minor competition with minor funding and local players, who have so little draw that they regularly get raided by American clubs for players. I'm not saying that Fiji will be able to get Radradra and Yato back for a Super Rugby side, but they'll be able to get better players than the Drua did.

Puja

1. So how exactly will that help the game in Samoa and Tonga? Might as well have another Auckland franchise based out of the South.

2. So we should keep propping up money losing ventures, sure Rugby have rivers of gold to spend.

3. The point was the Fiji team is not exactly bringing anything to the table of the national comp. Pretty much the competition will keep on keeping on regardless if they are involved or not. What is the advantage to Rugby Australia? Remembering Rugby is increasingly becoming a minor sport in this Country.

While I'm all for helping out our neighbours where possible, expansion previously in Super rugby has not been a winner. Talking here of the Sunwolves, Argies, and to be honest Rebels and the Farce over in Perth. What went wrong with Super Rugby, prior to the covid thing, too many teams leading to some real strange decisions on the competition.

More amusing to me at the moment is the expansion plans for the NRL, second Brisbane team, sure why not, that's going to eat into Bronco crowds. Expansion for expansions sake is not a good policy imho.

[Puja]

Can see a few problems with the long term viability of 2 additional Pacific Teams, NZ being a Pacific Nation itself.

1. I believe Fiji are the only contender with an International level ground, Samoa and Tonga lacking in this?

2. After the funding runs out, how exactly are the minor nations going to afford the cost of a Super outfit?

3. Fiji have a team in the national comp in Oz, but it's not exactly knocking the door down.

1) I believe the Samoa/Tonga team is expected to run out of Auckland for the most part.

2) If it's even a minor success, why would the funding run out? The IRB would want to keep a method of supporting the PIs that didn't involve enriching the administrators.

3) While wishing to show all due respect to the Australians, who the hell cares about the NRC? It's a minor team in a minor competition with minor funding and local players, who have so little draw that they regularly get raided by American clubs for players. I'm not saying that Fiji will be able to get Radradra and Yato back for a Super Rugby side, but they'll be able to get better players than the Drua did.

Puja

1. So how exactly will that help the game in Samoa and Tonga? Might as well have another Auckland franchise based out of the South.

2. So we should keep propping up money losing ventures, sure Rugby have rivers of gold to spend.

3. The point was the Fiji team is not exactly bringing anything to the table of the national comp. Pretty much the competition will keep on keeping on regardless if they are involved or not. What is the advantage to Rugby Australia? Remembering Rugby is increasingly becoming a minor sport in this Country.

While I'm all for helping out our neighbours where possible, expansion previously in Super rugby has not been a winner. Talking here of the Sunwolves, Argies, and to be honest Rebels and the Farce over in Perth. What went wrong with Super Rugby, prior to the covid thing, too many teams leading to some real strange decisions on the competition.

More amusing to me at the moment is the expansion plans for the NRL, second Brisbane team, sure why not, that's going to eat into Bronco crowds. Expansion for expansions sake is not a good policy imho.

Aren't there more Samoans in Auckland than there are in Samoa? I've no doubt that there will be some games in Apia and Nuku'alofa as well. The benefits to the game in Samoa and Tonga is giving their players a way to earn a half-decent living while still staying available for their nation.

I think expansion in the islands is very different to expanding far across the sea. They're not drastically different time zones, they have a massive base of potential players to call upon, they'll have a ridiculous amount of goodwill to begin with as everyone loves PI sides, and that goodwill and international love for them could improve the sponsorship and television contracts too. And, while rugby doesn't have money to piss down the drain, it's also not in a strong enough position to let three big and famous international sides slip into obscurity (or worse, become rugby league strongholds instead!). This is a good use of the IRB's money, even if it is a loss-leader.

Puja

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

The PI teams are a massive point of difference for Rugby as a sport too. I think the long term danger has always been that we lose that seemingly never ending natural supply of flair and athleticism to Rugby League because the players can get paid closer to home.
Also, whilst I have zero problem with the Vunipola's/Tuilagi's who basically grew up in England playing for England, it might start to get farcical from an outside perspective if most European nations have 4/5 PI's playing for them because their dad played pro Rugby in the country.

[paddy no 11]

If union loses the PI teams it is then it basically would have 10? Competent national sides, hardly a global sport as is without losing them, this is a great move, hope it works well

[morepork]

The PI teams are a massive point of difference for Rugby as a sport too. I think the long term danger has always been that we lose that seemingly never ending natural supply of flair and athleticism to Rugby League because the players can get paid closer to home.
Also, whilst I have zero problem with the Vunipola's/Tuilagi's who basically grew up in England playing for England, it might start to get farcical from an outside perspective if most European nations have 4/5 PI's playing for them because their dad played pro Rugby in the country.

League has massive support within the NZ Polynesian community at the very grass roots of the game. Has done for a long time. Union is more chaps and schools, whereas league is club and communities.

[Mr Mwenda]

How come it developed that way, outbid interest? Were the immigrants already league fans or did they pick it up on arrival?

[morepork]

Are we all following what is happening in Samoa at the moment? Thank christ there is no formal military based there. This has Fiji written all over it.

[Puja]

Are we all following what is happening in Samoa at the moment? Thank christ there is no formal military based there. This has Fiji written all over it.

Fucking hell, no I had not been. That is something special. It looks as though the wheels are very, very slowly grinding towards letting the new Prime Minister take power though, which is good.

Puja

[Digby]

This is why it's important Trump didn't and doesn't behave like Trump