Pacific islands stripped off their natural talent

A documentary, Pacific Warr­iors, has revealed that 30 per cent of the players at the World Cup are of Pacific Islander descent. Yet, none of the three Pacific island countries competing in the tournament — Fiji, Samoa and Tonga — reached the quarter-final

South Pacific rugby super powers Australia and New Zealand have been accused of “trawling” the islands for talent.

Almost one-third of Australia’s original 31-man World Cup squad were born in the Pacific islands or are of Polynesian descent, including Tatafu Polota-Nau, Sekope Kepu, Scott Sio, Will Skelton, Wycliff Palu, Matt Toomua, Israel Folau, Henry Speight, Joe Tomane and Tevita Kuridrani.

The All Blacks are also well represented by Pacific island players with Charlie Faumuina, Jerome Kaino, Keven Mealamu, Julian Savea, Ma’a Nonu, Malakai Fekitoa, Sonny Bill Williams, Waisake Naholo and Victor Vito.

Can you imagine what Fiji might have achieved in this tournament with the likes of Speight, Kuridrani and Naholo in their backline?

But even northern hemisphere teams are starting to populate their teams with Pacific islanders such as Toby Fale of Wales and England’s Vunipola brothers and Manu Tuilagi (although he is not in their World Cup squad). As well Samuela Vunisa plays for Italy, while Romania has Paula Kinikinilan.

And the Japanese No 8, Amanaki Mafi, who delivered the pass for the Brave Blossoms’ match-winning try in their upset win against South Africa, was born in Tonga.

To be sure, there is much inter-country player traffic in internat­ional rugby these days, but the poaching of Pacific islanders is ­systematic. It has increased dram­atically since rugby went professional in 1995 and this has been reflected in the island nations’ World Cup records.

A Pacific island country reached the quarter-finals of the first three World Cups in 1987 (Fiji), 1991 (Western Samoa) and 1995 (Western Samoa), but only once (Fiji in 2007) since the game went professional.

When explosive Tongan flanker Willie Ofahengaue burst on the Australian scene in 1991 commentators struggled to pronounce his name and he was simply referred to as “Willie O” but now 36 per cent of Australian Super Rugby players are of Pacific island descent. It is not just a case of major countries poaching Pacific islander talent. There are economic push factors that lead to young islanders moving to places like Australia and New Zealand for educational and work opportunities.

In the 2013 census 7.4 per cent of the New Zealand population identified themselves as of Pacific island descent.

Once they are living in another country it only takes three years of residency to become eligible to play for their adopted nation.

Many players of Pacific island descent such as Sio were born in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, the sons, nephews and cousins of former islander Test players.

This means the best rugby genes are being taken away from countries with small gene pools in the first place, which will no doubt have long-term consequences.

So what is to be done? Perhaps World Rugby should consider introducing Country of Origin style eligibility rules for the Pacific island nations at the World Cup?

Of course in a global rugby economy it would be unfair to prohibit Pacific islanders from enjoying the same freedom of movement and financial opportunities as other nationalities.

So some kind of compromise solution is needed. Given there is no professional rugby in the Pac­ific islands, if a player plays rugby at high school in an island country, he should play for that nation at the World Cup.

But World Rugby should financially compensate those Pacific islander players to ensure they are paid as well as top tier players in the tournament.  
Source: PAC NEWS