5 nations to battle for supremacy

Robert Matau


It has been a long time since top Pacific sides clashed in one islands nation for a rugby tournament.
That is why this year’s International Rugby Board sanctioned Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) is a must for Pacific rugby fans as it will be played in Fiji, thus making movements easier.
The Junior All Blacks, replacing the NZ Maori side, Japan, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga will battle it out in Fiji in June and July giving fans a rugby feast and players a taste of the ruthless Rugby World Cup type routine.
The Rugby World Cup (RWC) itself will be played in 2011 in New Zealand and the likelihood of some of these Junior All Blacks making the cut for the home side is inevitable.
Players like Piri Weepu and Corey Flynn have both played in the PNC in their home and away matches.
More recent All Black stars, Cory Jane and Hosea Gear also played in the Pacific Nations Cup with Liam Messam and Kieran Read.
At present the big three in islands rugby are tussling for their own franchise glory under the following sides in the Pacific Rugby Cup:
• Upolu Samoa & Savaii Samoa; 
• Fiji Warriors & Fiji Barbarians;
• Tau’uta Reds & Tautahi Gold from Tonga.
Both PNC and PRC (Pacific Rugby Cup) tourneys are sanctioned by the International Rugby Board and financed by the Australian New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ).
The three-year rugby sponsorship is for a series of tournaments across the Pacific region including the Pacific Rugby Cup (PRC), Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) and the Oceania Cup, resumed in April.
ANZ is the official banker for the Pacific Rugby Cup and major sponsor of the ANZ Pacific Nations Cup.
“There has been a lot of internal hype being the second year of our commitment to PRC and PNC,” said Robert Bell, CEO Pacific Central Region and General Manager ANZ Fiji.
“The tournament in addition to the investment in sport and the Pacific community, presents ANZ Fiji with a platform to promote our new ANZ Fast Saver product and the launch of our ATAMA mascot animation series,” he said.
Bell said the event now boasts not only the sport of rugby but Fiji, Samoa and Tonga as a preferred sporting destination, and ANZ as the preferred bank of the Pacific. 
Commercial support for these important regional tournaments is crucial to their ongoing success.  

Battle cry...Tonga's rugby team in action. photo: ZoomFiji

In sponsoring these Pacific Rim tournaments, ANZ will assist in providing the platforms that offer invaluable opportunities for emerging players to experience high level international competition.
IRB General Manager Pacific Islands, William Glenwright, added: “Commercial support for these important regional tournaments is crucial to their ongoing success.
Fiji is one team that is struggling to maintain its status after a sterling performance at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France where they beat Wales 38-34 and came close to beating the eventual World Cup winners—the Springboks—in the quarter finals.
Fiji is pooled with Wales again in the 2011 RWC and they will play each other in their pool game at Waikato.
FRU’s acting Chief Executive Keni Dakuidreketi said: “Our guys on the ground will definitely benefit from being involved in an international event.
“The revenue from the gates of course will be welcome. At present there is no firm decision on the distribution of gate revenue but I am certain we will take the gates from our own games.”
On marketing the tournament, he said FRU is helping on the ground in terms of human resources and contact points but essentially the tournament is fully funded by IRB.
On the status of the games, he said it is a full test status competition where world ranking will be at stake.
“It is imperative therefore that we field our best team. Certainly there will be up and coming players knocking on the door of national selection.  I will leave that to the selectors to decide.
“Test rugby is all about the best versus the best so there will be an expectation that our best players will be available for this.”
But for the last two years Fiji has been struggling to match the heroes of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Fiji’s two Pacific Rugby Cup teams ended at the bottom of the ladder last year but this year an Under 20 side and a potential Fiji side have had mixed results to date.
Dakuidreketi said, “I think the coaching staff know that and they will be mindful of it.” 
On the viability of FRU, he said rugby is a business these days and it will not be spared.
“Professional sports is about television viewership and sponsorships,” he said.
“When these dry up, it will be felt throughout.
“I think in the past year most if not all major rugby unions register losses.
“Smaller economies like us will feel the brunt as our costs will continue to escalate.
“Now with the dwindling value of our currency, it will cost more to manage our affairs.
“Tours will cost more and we will receive less gear for the same amount of funds.
“Let me be abundantly clear, gate taking contributes very little to our coffers.
“This is because the threshold level of our ticket price is pegged at the local level to make it affordable.”
With the Pacific’s current and upcoming stars in action in Fiji, fans in the region have the chance to watch our rugby stars in action as they battle for a place in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
For those Fijians who cannot afford the return trip to New Zealand, this is a chance to watch live raw Pacific passion on a rugby field. Something not to be missed.