Pasifika SR team

Stargazer

From the ESPN article below:

It is yet to be announced where the teams will base their home games, with Sydney Morning Herald reporting Fiji may play out of Sydney, while Pacifika aim to play a handful of their games in New Zealand.
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The conditional license means Fiji and Pasifika are now all but confirmed additions in the competition and can now formalize their player, coach and staff recruitment. It is another step forward for Pacific Island rugby.

Would be great to know what that means: permanent base in Samoa/Tonga, temporary base in NZ?

Stargazer

From the article in the Sydney Morning Herald below:

The Pasifika team is expected to be partly based in south Auckland and the Fijians - who were part of the now-defunct NRC - could be partly based in western Sydney.

“That’s one thing that’s been brought up,” Fiji general manager of rugby Simon Raiwalui told the Herald.

“Obviously Fiji is a small market. We would definitely look at playing matches externally. Whether that’s in Australia, New Zealand or whatever other opportunities become available to us.

“With the Fijian and Pasifika communities in both countries and throughout south-east Asia, there are huge communities and huge support for anything Fiji rugby. That’s definitely an opportunity.”

Raiwalui believes the lure of returning home will help bring many Fijian stars now plying their trade abroad back to Fiji in the near future.

“One thing we don’t struggle with is talent. That’s our strongest resource. Obviously, it’s going to come down to timing with contracts and turnover,” he said.

“The first couple of years it’s going to be about building that initial squad. We have obviously talked to a lot of our talent worldwide. Whether that’s Australia, New Zealand or Europe.

“And there is a lot of interest to come back at the first opportunity to come and live in Fiji. To work and live in their home country, with their families and be able to earn a competitive salary

“It’s going to come down to timing but it’s not going to just be a one year project. It’s about planning over the next two, three, four or five years and targeting guys we want to bring back.”

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/fiji-pasifika-teams-confirmed-starters-in-super-rugby-2022-20210414-p57j3l.html

nzzp

Fijian Drua - great stuff. Population base of nearly a million in Fiji, and a stadium to play at.

PI team leaves me a bit cold, though. Could they do a travelling home game - take it out to Whangarei, Tauranga, Naki, etc? Would soak up some fan support

mariner4life

@nzzp said in Pasifika SR team:

Fijian Drua - great stuff. Population base of nearly a million in Fiji, and a stadium to play at.

PI team leaves me a bit cold, though. Could they do a travelling home game - take it out to Whangarei, Tauranga, Naki, etc? Would soak up some fan support

yuck!!! nomad teams never work. Teams need a home.

nzzp

@mariner4life said in Pasifika SR team:

@nzzp said in Pasifika SR team:

Fijian Drua - great stuff. Population base of nearly a million in Fiji, and a stadium to play at.

PI team leaves me a bit cold, though. Could they do a travelling home game - take it out to Whangarei, Tauranga, Naki, etc? Would soak up some fan support

yuck!!! nomad teams never work. Teams need a home.

yeah, I guess. South Auckland as a base though - seriously? Just as the Blues get some people behind them, you split up their feeders and their supporters. Yuck again.

Stargazer

mikedogz

I like the Moana Pasifika idea as long as they focus on PI eligible players. I understand that counties are looking at working with them. This would be good for my home province. They don't really get much love from the Chiefs in regard to games. Pukekohe might be their NZ training base and the stadium (Eco-light stadium) or Mt Smart could be where they play.

mikedogz

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/auckland-based-moana-pasifika-super-rugby-bid-launched-but-no-one-told-fiji/

 The group that wants to represent all of the Pacific nations, and are proposing to work closely with Counties-Manukau rugby union, who are based in south Auckland.

Machpants

Deleted due to it already being posted, here's a pic instead

Stargazer

@machpants Do you ever read posts on the Fern? This has already been posted.

Machpants

@stargazer said in Pasifika SR team:

@machpants Do you ever read posts on the Fern? This has already been posted.

I blame the iPad it often starts me past my last read post.

My apologies!

Crucial

@mariner4life said in Pasifika SR team:

@crucial said in Pasifika SR team:

@mariner4life said in Pasifika SR team:

conceptually i love this idea. the problem is the reality.

Island teams based out of the islands, playing in the islands, exposing the best local players (including those that have schooled in NZ/Aus) and providing a realistic pathway. Awesome. Who doesn't love it? Imagine popping up to Fiji for the weekend to watch the Chiefs then stay at on at Denarau? Great for the economy. Throw in a couple of teams with a different style to what we usually see, and there is little to quibble at.

Then the reality sets in. Local players using local facilities are going to be a fucking miiiiiiile behind the required standard. And horrendous beatings will be on the cards. So they'll need a few seasoned pros to help them out. Where do they get them from? The obvious hope is Europe. but what are the chances of Charlie Piatau leaving England to go live in Tonga/Samoa for a Super rugby salary? Then what are the chances of a guy from Auckland/Wellington doing the same? Neither are high. So you have to base in Auckland to be attractive. That's half the above advantages gone already. Broadcasters will whinge about the cost of showing games from the Islands, so again, base in Auckland please. You base in Auckland, and suddenly guys already here, and already in a semi-pro environment look so much better. So instead of providing a pathway for the Islands, you are eroding the paper-thin depth of NZ. Or staffing your team with players not good enough for NZ teams, so we are back to the beatings.

It might be better for everyone if the Tonga/Samoa team is based in Aus if it has to be anywhere.

and this is from a guy whose speciality is posting stupid Star Wars memes.

you may have me confused with someone else

You all look alike you people with names starting with M.

I wish I could put today's posting down to being drunk but sadly it was a result of being pissed off and really busy at work so just firing in here to make stupid comments. I know that sounds normal but I think there was maybe an extra 1% stupidity added.

Gunner

Seems to be a lot of negativity and doom and gloom about this announcement.

Does anyone remember the conference system we had only a year or two ago? To me this new competition seems like a massive upgrade on the shit show we had previously.

Let’s wait and see what happens re eligibility, home bases, financials, competitiveness etc etc before we throw the baby out with the bath water.

I’m looking forward to it!

Kiwiwomble

@gunner in general im looking forward to it

i just wish, if NZR was going to force another team based in NZ then do it based on an area, central north for example so it could take super rugby to areas that dont get it as often...rather than jamming it in between the two closets super teams, assuming it goes to south auckland

OR,

if its about growing the game in the pacific then both teams are based in the islands

Tim

So who's going to be available for the Pasifika team? I'm thinking that it will mainly be NPC players without Super Rugby contracts, wider training group/injury cover SR players, and fringe SR squad members.

Some (Blues region and Counties Manukau centered) possibilities:

Jarred Adams
Marco Fepulea'i
James Lay
Jordan Lay
Ezekiel Lindenmuth
Joe Apikotoa
Fatongia Paea

Leni Apisai
Ray Niuia
Mike Sosene-Feagai
Donald Maka

Kane Le'aupepe

Niko Jones
Alamanda Motuga
Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa
Sione Tuipulotu
Murphy Taramai
Samipeni Finau
Jesse Parete
Josh Kaifa

Taufa Funaki
Danny Tusitala
Jonathan Taumateine
Lisati Milo-Harris

Orbyn Leger
Latiume Fosita

Danny Toala
Vince Aso
Inga Finau
Antonio Mikaele-Tu'u
Ray Nu'u
Stacey Ili
James Little
Michael Little
James Tofa
Neria Fomai
Josiah Maraku

Lolagi Visinia
Salesi Rayasi
Freedom Vahaakolo
Tevita Nabura

Chase Tiatia

There's probably a few from BOP, Ta$man, Wellington etc that I'm missing. They could also get some non-pacific players too, especially at lock.

Kiwiwomble

@tim said in Pasifika SR team:

Freedom Vahaakolo

hands off

i'd put money on Nasi Manu being one of the first names signed up

Tim

Comment from Tom Coventry today:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/sky-super-rugby-aotearoa-blues-assistant-coach-tom-coventry-welcomes-new-super-rugby-teams-but-he-has-some-concerns/M7JCIAWVXMSBXZZUZ3EIHND5EA/

"I've got no doubt it's going to really affect our depth," Coventry said.

"We're always looking to the provinces to make sure we've got guys in here that can step up in time. If we're losing those sorts of players to opposition teams in Super Rugby, it's going to dilute the competition for sure.

Canes4life

@tim Kane Le’aupepe has retired from rugger.

Bovidae

@tim I doubt the Chiefs will be letting Finau go but Sowakula would be a prime target.

I expect you will see no PI players in NZ SR squads that aren't eligible or have declared for the ABs. No point in NZR paying their salaries.

Tim

If this team can't recruit some solid forwards and halves then they're going to get rinsed week in week out.

The Silver Fern

Pasifika SR team