Kiwi team for ANZAC Test..

[The Observer]

Who is there in the SL that could be in contention?

There's only three or four at most but here's my best guess at a NZ SL based team

Kearney's right to stick with NRL based talent, would any SL based players really add anything more than he already has in the squad? As an aside, if the NZRL adopted the All Blacks attitude, ignored European based players for Kiwi selection, the European based PI eligible players could make the foundations of a useful Pacific team to play the Kangaroos and Kiwis after the NRL Grand Final. Listed are the club and the Island ancestry:

1. Meli (St Helens, born Samoa), 2. Ratu (Hull KR, Fiji), 3. Whatuira (Huddersfield, Cook Islands), 4. Soliola (St Helens, Samoa), 5. Lolesi (Huddersfield, Samoa), 6. Anderson Vinnie (Warrington, Tonga), 7. Thomas Leuluai (Wigan, Samoa), 8. Kylie Leuluai (Leeds, Samoa), 9. Faiumu (Huddersfield, Samoa), 10. Lauaki (Hull FC, born Tonga), 11. Puletua (St Helens, Samoa), 12. Fa'alogo (Huddersfield, Samoa), 13. Louis Anderson (Warrington, Tonga). BENCH: 14. Palea'aesina (Wigan, Samoa), 15. Makali Aizue (Hull KR, PNG), 16. Leo-Latu (Wakefield, Tonga), 17. Lauitiiti (Leeds, Samoa)

2. Andreas Bauer (Doncaster, Samoa), 3. Daryl Millard (Wakefield, Fiji), 4. Carmont (Wigan, Samoa), 6. Sa (Catalans, Samoa), 7. Robbie Paul (Leigh, Cook Islands), 8. Trevor Exton (Sheffield, PNG), 9. Charlie Wabo (Hunslet, PNG), 10. Moa (Hull FC, Tonga); 11. Jason Chan (Crusaders, PNG), 12 Hansen (Wigan, Samoa), 13 Willie Manu (Hul FC, Tonga) 14. Phil Leuluai (Salford, Samoa), 15. Frank Winterstein (Crusaders, Samoa).

 

[The Observer]

Hutch raises a good point about the Cooks team though. If they all qualify for NZ, then we're basically in a stupid NZ Maori-type situation (albeit not as ridiculous) where we have an area that is represented by two national teams. This is a joke, especially if they are automatics for the WC. I can't say I'm surprised that the 'international federation' has overlooked this though.

Is it actually a good point? People from Northern Ireland automatically have citizenship of the Republic of Ireland, but ROI people aren't citizens of the UK. For years, you also have two teams that represent the North - the island of Ireland team and the Great Britain team. As well as two teams representing England, Scotland and Wales (i.e. the Great Britain team being the second).

 

[Evil Homer]

Is it actually a good point? People from Northern Ireland automatically have citizenship of the Republic of Ireland, but ROI people aren't citizens of the UK. For years, you also have two teams that represent the North - the island of Ireland team and the Great Britain team. As well as two teams representing England, Scotland and Wales (i.e. the Great Britain team being the second).

But firstly that is no longer the case, the GB team was scrapped for that reason, and secondly GB were never in direct competition with Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland. They always competed in different tournaments. We didn't have a World Cup featuring Scotland and GB, which is essentially what is being proposed with the Cooks. Also, the GB team was 'GB and Ireland', representing the whole of Ireland, so your point about Northern Ireland is not correct. When GB existed, the Ireland team were on the same level as Scotland, England and Wales. GB was a rep team rather than an international side, which is one of the reasons it was scrapped.

 

[shinobi]

Kearney's right to stick with NRL based talent, would any SL based players really add anything more than he already has in the squad? As an aside, if the NZRL adopted the All Blacks attitude, ignored European based players for Kiwi selection, the European based PI eligible players could make the foundations of a useful Pacific team to play the Kangaroos and Kiwis after the NRL Grand Final. Listed are the club and the Island ancestry:

1. Meli (St Helens, born Samoa), 2. Ratu (Hull KR, Fiji), 3. Whatuira (Huddersfield, Cook Islands), 4. Soliola (St Helens, Samoa), 5. Lolesi (Huddersfield, Samoa), 6. Anderson Vinnie (Warrington, Tonga), 7. Thomas Leuluai (Wigan, Samoa), 8. Kylie Leuluai (Leeds, Samoa), 9. Faiumu (Huddersfield, Samoa), 10. Lauaki (Hull FC, born Tonga), 11. Puletua (St Helens, Samoa), 12. Fa'alogo (Huddersfield, Samoa), 13. Louis Anderson (Warrington, Tonga). BENCH: 14. Palea'aesina (Wigan, Samoa), 15. Makali Aizue (Hull KR, PNG), 16. Leo-Latu (Wakefield, Tonga), 17. Lauitiiti (Leeds, Samoa)

2. Andreas Bauer (Doncaster, Samoa), 3. Daryl Millard (Wakefield, Fiji), 4. Carmont (Wigan, Samoa), 6. Sa (Catalans, Samoa), 7. Robbie Paul (Leigh, Cook Islands), 8. Trevor Exton (Sheffield, PNG), 9. Charlie Wabo (Hunslet, PNG), 10. Moa (Hull FC, Tonga); 11. Jason Chan (Crusaders, PNG), 12 Hansen (Wigan, Samoa), 13 Willie Manu (Hul FC, Tonga) 14. Phil Leuluai (Salford, Samoa), 15. Frank Winterstein (Crusaders, Samoa).

Robbie Paul is Maori same as Whatuira. Maori are more closesly related to Tongans and Samoans that PNGers are.

 

[The Observer]

Robbie Paul is Maori same as Whatuira.

According to Cook Islands Rugby flyhalf Tommy Hayes (in an edition of Rugby World magazine), his brother Henry Paul has Cook Islands ancestry. Therefore, I presumed Robbie did too. Whatuira's CI ancestry is listed on Wikipedia. I'm not sure 100% if either claim is true, but if the Pauls and Whatuira have CI ancestry, it doesn't stop them being Maori as well, or having Maori lineage.

 

[shinobi]

According to Cook Islands Rugby flyhalf Tommy Hayes (in an edition of Rugby World magazine), his brother Henry Paul has Cook Islands ancestry. Therefore, I presumed Robbie did too. Whatuira's CI ancestry is listed on Wikipedia. I'm not sure 100% if either claim is true, but if the Pauls and Whatuira have CI ancestry, it doesn't stop them being Maori as well, or having Maori lineage.

If we're getting technical CI's are Maori too. Im sure they do have other island heritage as a lot of the players you listed are of mixed heritage too Faiumu has Maori heritage same as Carmont i think. My point was more why are there no NZ Maori players like Eastwood and the rest listed in your team as they should count too.

 

[The Observer]

If we're getting technical CI's are Maori too. Im sure they do have other island heritage as a lot of the players you listed are of mixed heritage too Faiumu has Maori heritage same as Carmont i think.

OK sure.

My point was more why are there no NZ Maori players like Eastwood and the rest listed in your team as they should count too.

The team of UK based players was meant to be a combined Pacific Islanders team, representing Pacific nations that are not Australia or New Zealand (or the Indigenous Dreamtime/All Stars team or NZ/Aotearoa Maori).