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Match Thread - Triple Header at Eden Park

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,232
Suprising but glad to see Fiji get such a big win here, so much potential for them not only compete with the big 3 but to do so with a mostly Fijian born team.

A game against Tonga would be really interesting because Fiji still have a decent claim of being the best Pacific team although they've been given a lot less oppurtunities compared to the Tongan "Golden Boys".
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,232
With the teams and results these teams are putting out we aren't far off a pretty credible Oceania/Pacific Cup with 2 pools instead if 2 tiers.

Pool A - Aus, PNG & Fiji
Pool B (Polynesia Cup) - NZ, Tonga, Samoa & Cooks.

Something annually involving NZ, Tonga & Samoa has huge potential.
 

Arucard

Juniors
Messages
589
Embarrassing for Samoa. Should have been 44-10 their way.
A team that isn’t as good as it looks on paper every time, versus a team that has made the last 3 World Cup semi finals and knocked NZ out at the last edition. In what way was that embarrassing for Samoa?
Fiji don’t get the respect they deserve.
 

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,037
With the teams and results these teams are putting out we aren't far off a pretty credible Oceania/Pacific Cup with 2 pools instead if 2 tiers.

Pool A - Aus, PNG & Fiji
Pool B (Polynesia Cup) - NZ, Tonga, Samoa & Cooks.

Something annually involving NZ, Tonga & Samoa has huge potential.
I think that is one shame out of today. We won't see Samoa v Tonga until possibly in the 2021 RLWC now.
 

stormbati

Bench
Messages
3,088
Wow, that was unexpected. 85% completion rate is an excellent performance especially with the way the ball was being thrown around.

Kikau was sensational and Wakeham delivered again. Wakeham doesn’t really look likely but makes some very good decisions.

Anyway good win Bati hopefully more of the same next week.
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,232
A team that isn’t as good as it looks on paper every time, versus a team that has made the last 3 World Cup semi finals and knocked NZ out at the last edition. In what way was that embarrassing for Samoa?
Fiji don’t get the respect they deserve.

Definitely, on paper Fiji's best team is up there with Tonga in my opinion. Let's not forget some players that weren't there today like Sivo, Blake, Koroisau, Sims², Safiti², RCG and probably a few more.
 

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,037
Definitely, on paper Fiji's best team is up there with Tonga in my opinion. Let's not forget some players that weren't there today like Sivo, Blake, Koroisau, Sims², Safiti², RCG and probably a few more.
How many of those players will be around for 2021?
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,232
I think that is one shame out of today. We won't see Samoa v Tonga until possibly in the 2021 RLWC now.

I agree NZ, Tonga & Samoa could have been huge but Fiji deserve it.

One of the perks of using 2 pools instead of 2 tiers would be having that tri-series (plus maybe the Cooks)every year as well as a tier 1 game for every Pacific nation every year.
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,232
How many of those players will be around for 2021?

Not sure, I'd be interested to see why they weren't playing today I'm not sure how many are injured or if there's a few "World Cup Year only Fijians".
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
With the teams and results these teams are putting out we aren't far off a pretty credible Oceania/Pacific Cup with 2 pools instead if 2 tiers.

Pool A - Aus, PNG & Fiji
Pool B (Polynesia Cup) - NZ, Tonga, Samoa & Cooks.

Something annually involving NZ, Tonga & Samoa has huge potential.

We shouldn’t be far off at all. We could easily do it now.

I don’t see why we can’t have a one pool Pacific Six Nations next year with NZ, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, PNG and Cooks all playing each other once and a final.
Could try something ambitious for once.
 

Front-Rower

First Grade
Messages
5,296
Seen better state cup games than this.

Good luck Tigers next year if Benji is in the starting line up
 
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