Pacific Islanders rugby team

Rugby Union is as big a sport in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa as it is in New Zealand but with the advent of professionalism they have been unable to compete with richer nations. They play fewer Tests and lose by greater margins as more of their top players play in New Zealand, Australia, Japan or Europe and don't return to play for their countries.

The Pacific Island Rugby Alliance (PIRA) was formed in 2003 and its team the Pacific Islanders, drawn from the best Fijian, Tongan and Samoan players, created far more interest on their 2004 tour than any of the three nations could ever hope to. Despite losing every game, 14-29 vs Australia, 26-41 vs New Zealand and 24-38 vs South Africa, they were impressive in all three tests and played full strength teams, something that rarely happens when major nations play Tonga, Fiji or Samoa.

There is a lot of speculation about what role the Islanders will play in international rugby: whether they will be like the British and Irish Lions and tour only every four years, or whether as many hope they will be admitted into an expanded Super 12 tournament and perhaps the Tri Nations. They might even play at the World Cup in place of the three national teams.

Touring once every four years would probably not generate enough revenue to transform the finances of Pacific rugby. (The 2004 tour did make a modest profit, despite initial reports that the PIRA lost money.) As the individual nations are currently concerned with qualifying for the next World Cup the Islanders will probably not tour again until 2006, possibly visiting the Northern Hemisphere.

A Super 12 spot would provide a career path for island players so they wouldn't have to take their skills abroad. However there would need to be a clear differential between that team and one that plays international tests. It would also have to be clear that their status is lower than that of the three national sides.

If they joined the Tri Nations this might prevent the occasional player playing for New Zealand or Australia, but it might also prevent players playing tests for the three nations and their profiles and fixtures would decrease even further. If they played in the World Cup, the coaches of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga would become little more than provincial coaches.

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