Rugby in Oceania

[Canalina Profile]

The Oceania Cup 2020, to be held in Papua New Guinea, has been cancelled.
Usually the Oceania Cup was hosted just in odd years, but I think to remember that they decided to return to a yearly Oceania Cup. No luck for this first attempt.

The women's World Cup repechage, the women's Oceania Championship and the men's and women's Oceania 7s Championships are still in the 2020 program, at least as vague hope

https://www.fijitimes.com/oceania-rugby ... urnaments/
https://matangitonga.to/2020/07/17/ocea ... -cancelled
https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/sports/rugby ... cancelled/

[Canalina Profile]

"Why World Rugby must suspend Fiji"

https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/com ... pend_fiji/

I just wonder why the two players were out of prison few time after having been condemned to years of jail

[Canalina Profile]

Tonga funds-frozen and expelled by the PNC?

https://twitter.com/pacificwelfare/stat ... 4083177473

The same players' organization that writes this news denounced in the past days the scarcity of transparency and democracy in the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga federations

[victorsra Profile Website]

Tonga funds-frozen and expelled by the PNC?

https://twitter.com/pacificwelfare/stat ... 4083177473

The same players' organization that writes this news denounced in the past days the scarcity of transparency and democracy in the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga federations

But they asked for it. They arent saying it is wrong.

[NaBUru38 Profile]

So the Australian and New Zealand rugby unions are discussion a Trans-Tasman Super Rugby.

Apparently there are discussing between having 8 and 10 teams.

New Zealand wants to keep their 5 teams and add a Pacific team.

So the 8-team option would mean that Australia would have just 2 teams. I don't think it's feasible.

[Warpath Profile]

Marist 7's is running in Fiji unfortunately no Channel is carrying all games but FBC Sports will carry most of it and the finals over the weekend, i'll be streaming them here ..may not work for all
http://walesi.rf.gd/fbcsports.html

[victorsra Profile Website]

Tonga moving on https://www.world.rugby/news/590665/tri ... ngan-rugby

[NaBUru38 Profile]

The New Zealand union announced that the Super Rugby Aotearoa will be played again in 2021, with a double round robin between the Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Hurricanes and Highlanders.

Australia and Argentina? Good luck, you will need it.

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/n ... rn-in-2021

[victorsra Profile Website]

According to World Rugby the Solomon Islands are in North America https://www.world.rugby/organisation/me ... rthAmerica

[RugbySwizzie Profile]

According to the Cook Islands Rugby Union Facebook Page, a "Team Cook Islands" will face a Fiji Residents XV and a Samoa XV on their island. I'm wondering if the Cook Islands side can be compared to their national team or if the players are all locally based due to the COVID-situation. It can be viewed on the local TV's Youtube channel, Vaka TV Livestream.

[Canalina Profile]

May you explain me what this Moana Pasifika is? Is it a revival of the Pacific Islanders? Or maybe the first embryo of a new franchise based on the islands?

https://www.allblacks.com/news/historic ... a-unveiled

Ok, found myself: it's a new potential SuperRugby franchise

[ficcp Profile]

All the players are living in NZ. So, they still could be considered for the AB.

[victorsra Profile Website]

May you explain me what this Moana Pasifika is? Is it a revival of the Pacific Islanders? Or maybe the first embryo of a new franchise based on the islands?

https://www.allblacks.com/news/historic ... a-unveiled

Ok, found myself: it's a new potential SuperRugby franchise

What is intriguing me is that Fiji is involved with Moana for this Moana vs Maoris match. However, it was clear that for the Super Rugby Fiji will have its own franchise (playing in Fiji) and Moana would be basicaly a Samoa/Tonga/NZ thing based in Auckland. Two Pacfiic franchises are being proposed, to make a 12-teams Super Rugby. So, has something changed about Fiji?

[Armchair Fan Profile]

This Moana Pasifika is just a one-off, we shouldn't read too much into it. In almost two years until the Pasifika franchise is really built philosophy can change quite a bit.

[victorsra Profile Website]

Yes, but they have just published the idea is to have Fiji + Moana in 2022 Super Rugby.

[Immenso Profile]

It's just a team of NZ PI heritage players or PI players currently resident in NZ.

Using the name Moana Pasifika to build brand awareness, I would guess for, when the franchise is created properly in 2 years time.

A Fijian could play in the Moana Pasifika franchise, as could anyone actually, it will NZ based. Just as Fijian could also play for the Crusaders even after the Drua enter the competition.

For the record, as a NZer I think a Pasifika franchise based in Auckland is a really bad idea, I am against it 100%. They should create a second (North Auckland) franchise out of North Harbour and Northland - if going to 12 teams. I don't like the idea of an ethnic based pro club operating in my country, don't like the message it sends to Polynesian/Melanesian Aucklanders.

Also it won't achieve anything. Having professional PIs playing for 12 weeks in SR then playing for peanuts in Oceania test rugby or semi-pro NPC, then still having the PI unions locked out of TRC, will mean good players will want to be NZRU qualified anyway.

Access to professional club rugby is not a problem for Pacific Islander. Access to well-paying international rugby tournaments is the problem.
PIs national unions need to be in a competition with a share of TV revenue and tournament sponsorship, so that appearance fees are worthwhile,

Future Taniela Tupou's and Folau Fakatavas won't turn down NZRU or ARU central contracts to play for their Islands by creating a Pasifika franchsie.

[Warpath Profile]

the moana team will basically have NZ based fijians like rayasi, koroi, nareki, sowakula, macilai tikoirotuma in the future.. teh team fiji will field coul include3 of those players (tiks sowakula and macilai) but generally those already capped by nz either in 7's or 15's may not be eligible for the Fijian team in super rugby in 2022

[ficcp Profile]

"OCEANS APART : Greed, Betrayal and Pacific Rugby". The movie was released last monday , it is an interesting presentation about the conditions of the PI players around the World. Dan Leo, the founder of PRPW (Pacific Rugby Players Welfare) presents a strong case about unfairness and unjustice with the players , the PI Unions but also within the Unions of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.
The position of WR is.....guess what, not clear at all!!!! It is available for purchase through market place companies.