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Interesting article regarding Pacific Islands Rugby League
http://www.islandsbusiness.com/isla...D=19424/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl
SPORTS: PACIFIC ISLANDERS DOMINATE RUGBY LEAGUESteering the sport towards a bright future
Peter Rees
Rugby league players of Pacific heritage are helping to steer the sport towards a bright future. That evolution takes another step forward when New Zealand plays Samoa for the first time in October. PETER REES reports
Sign of the times
Samoa has been on the international rugby league scene officially since 1988. But it has taken them 22 years to get the chance to play the Kiwis. The historic match to be played at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium on October 16, is a warm-up match for the Kiwis ahead of the Four Nations tournament where they face off against England, Australia and Papua New Guinea.
When the New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) announced the game in June, some sighed silently its about time.
Samoan Rugby League chairman Peter Paul was excited both countries would at last meet in a test.
"We were disappointed to miss out on the Pacific Cup last year and we need tests against the world's best to ensure we are better prepared for such tournaments in the future.
Others didnt see all the fuss. They argued that it took Samoa even longer in the rival code, rugby union - 69 years in fact when Manu Samoa played the All Blacks in that landmark test match in Auckland in 1993.
But the reality is, New Zealand has a lot to owe Samoa (and Fiji, Tonga, Niue, Cook Islands and to a lesser extent, French Polynesia) for its success in the international arena.
Samoa has already played Australia (in 2000), who despite going down to the Kiwis at the last World Cup two years ago, are still ranked the world's top league nation. But New Zealand has dragged the chain in that regard.
Considering the contributions of Samoans to the development of the league scene in New Zealand, the game is long overdue. But the Kiwis have worked hard to make up for lost time, playing Mate Ma'a Tonga last year, and the Papua New Guinea Kumuls at the 2008 World Cup. Toa Samoa is next on the list.
Growth
Rugby union and American Football (NFL) can attest to the dominating influence Pacific islanders have made in those sports. But in rugby league, that influence is even stronger.
Over 80% of the players named in the Kiwis training squad for the October clash have Maori or Pacific ancestry. While the All Blacks have only just seen a regular influx of Pacific talent since the 1990s, the New Zealand national league sides have been getting browner ever since the 1970s. The current Kiwis coach, Stephen Kearney is Maori.
Players like Dennis Williams (Samoan), Tongan brothers Dane and Kurt Sorenson, Kevin Iro (Cook Islands) and Olsen Filipaina (Maori/Samoan) paved the way in the early days crossing the Tasman to play in Australia at a time when few New Zealanders were good enough to hack it in the games strongest domestic competition.
Today, the NRL is filled with New Zealanders, many of them with Maori and Pacific blood-lines. Australian coaches cross over to New Zealand regularly to scout the abundant talent New Zealand has amongst its near half million population of Maori and Pacific island communities.
But not even that is enough to satisfy the thirst for the physical qualities Pacific athletes bring to a game, where speed, size and strength is everything.
Over the past decade, scouts are increasingly heading direct to the source of this talent the Pacific islands, setting up local bases to monitor the best young players coming through. Many they end up signing have played little competitive rugby league and are more likely to be rugby union converts.
The impact of Pacific islanders on league in Australia in particular has been so strong, it has influenced foreign policy with Australian federal funding now looking to allocate money towards league development in the region.
During the Superleague years in the 1990s when the NRL split into two warring factions with separate competitions, Superleague bosses were quick to set up base in the Pacific islands to ensure the production line of talent was aligned to their competition.
Millions of dollars were pumped into Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea at the time, until the lull came when the warring factions reunited under the NRL banner.
The financial loss incurred after the 2000 World Cup sent Pacific league into near oblivion. The last decade has seen the island nations fend for themselves which has allowed rugby union and football (soccer) to establish a firm foothold.
But since the 2008 World Cup, Australia and New Zealand have committed to helping the islands more.
The Pacific Rim nations have also banded together to ensure their survival. Last November, league officials from Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and the Cook Islands formed the Pacific Islands Rugby League Federation (PIRLF), which has now been accepted as an affiliate of the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF). Previously the island nations had acted in isolation of each other in league development. That will now change under the leadership of PNG Sports Minister Philemon Embel as chairman.
The formation of PIRLF is an historic occasion and I am looking forward to working with my Pacific brothers to drive social change in the region through rugby league," said Embel.
The new body committed to supporting each other and strengthening existing regional competitions such as the Pacific Cup, started in 1974, which is now a qualifier for the Four Nations tournament. Papua New Guinea, who are the strongest island nation in terms of world ranking and domestic infrastructure and playing numbers, qualified for this year's tournament after defeating the Cook Islands in last year's Pacific Cup qualifiers.
Trends
Current trends see scouts targeting younger players, identifying them early while they are still at school. This is especially the case in New Zealand where young league talent is better developed than in the islands due to the stronger domestic base in New Zealand.
Some New Zealanders who left for the NRL at a young age have ended up representing Australia instead.
This was the case with Auckland born Karmichael Hunt of Cook Islands descent, who signed for the Brisbane Broncos but at the peak of his powers as a regular in the Australian Kangaroos, he switched to Australian Rules in a multi-million dollar deal.
But others such as former league superstar Sonny Bill Williams, have stayed loyal to the country of birth. After winning an NRL title with the Bulldogs, he defected to rugby union and signed for Toulon in France. This year, he returned to New Zealand and is now in line for a place in the All Blacks end of year tour to Europe after impressing with Canterbury in the national provincial championship. Williams, of Samoan extraction, famously signed his first NRL contract aged just 15 on the boot of an old ute in his hometown of Auckland.
The argument of signing them up early is NRL clubs grab them while they are still learning the game and developing physically. They are then brought to Australia where they receive the best coaching at the best facilities. In three to five years, they are ready to step into the NRL.
One in three players in the NRL today are of Maori or Pacific descent.
By 2012, it is predicted Pacific island players will comprise 50% of the total number of NRL players.
The situation is comparable to what happened in the United States in the 1970s where black Americans began to outnumber white players in the professional NBA Basketball and NFL Gridiron competitions.
The rise in numbers in Australia is being helped by increased migration there by island families, via New Zealand or direct from the Pacific.
Among the pantheon of NRL stars today are 2009 Dally M Player of the Year, Jarryd Hayne (Fijian) of the Parramatta Eels, Newcastle Knights flyer Akuila Uate (Fijian) who was this year's top try scorer in the NRL, West Tigers captain Benji Marshall (Maori), Eels' crowd favourite, Fuifui Moimoi (Tongan), Tigers forward Dean Halatau (Niuean), strapping Panthers forward Frank Pritchard (Samoan), Souths Rabbitohs captain Roy Asotasi (Samoan) and giant Warriors wing Manu Vatuvei (Tongan).
There are many more.
Fifteen years ago, there were on average three Pacific islands players per club in the NRL. That figure is now around seven. There were 110 players of Maori and Pacific descent playing for NRL clubs in 2009. Polynesian players now represent almost 30 per cent of the NRL total roster. And in the NRL feeder competition, the Toyota Cup (under 20) over 50% of the players are of Maori or Pacific descent.
"The coaches are going for the bigger, stronger Polynesian players, rather than the quicker, more agile players," said Steve Hall, a development officer with the New South Wales RL for the past 20 years.
Those figures are even greater at the age group and schools level, so much so, that a decline in young players of Aboriginal and European descent has seen some authorities ask for the rules to be changed, the most important a weight for age rule that concerned parents are pushing for out of the safety of their children. Young Pacific island boys tended to develop faster than others and it was no uncommon to see kids weigh as much as 95kg in an under 11 match. That has created a dangerous mismatch in some games.
NRL chief executive David Gallop is glowing in his praise of the increasing Polynesian influence in rugby league.
"Every fan in the game loves Fuifui Moimoi," Gallop said.
"Clubs like Parramatta where Fuifui players is an example of how the different cultures can work well together. The Polynesians are an increasingly important part of the game at junior and elite level.
The World Cup gave many of them an opportunity to celebrate their heritage and go back to their NRL clubs with confidence. Jarryd Hayne's experience with Fiji is the best example of that. The Polynesian players have incredible natural ability."
The success league has had with Pacific players has seen rival code Australian Rules target island players to boost the code's profile. The AFL has already committed over $A23 million to developing the game in western Sydney, a league stronghold with a heavy migrant population. The long term goal is to establish an AFL pro team in the area.
The AFL has spent big in its efforts to woo young Pacific islanders to Aussie Rules.
Tongan powerhouse, Israel Folau, perhaps the highest profile NRL player of Pacific descent today, turned his back on league after signing a record A$6 million contract with the AFL. He followed Karmichael Hunt as the AFL rushed to sign both marquee names from league.
The AFL threat is likely to keep the NRL on its feet as it seeks to grow its player base and maintain its popularity and profile in the community.
International player eligibility laws enforced by the RLIF have been inconsistent as well with many players of dual heritage, swapping allegiances between World Cups. To some, this has made a mockery of international league.
The RLIF has traditionally been a weaker body than the NRL and the UK Superleague where the clubs rule the roost. But many see the future of rugby league dependent on the RLIF making sure the game grows stronger. Whichever direction rugby league heads, Pacific island players will no doubt be part of that journey.
Other Stories
LETTER FROM SUVA: AMERICA IN THE REGION: SAME OLD, SAME OLD?
VIEWS FROM AUCKLAND
WE SAY: Lifestyle diseases threaten islanders
WE SAY: Pacific's record patchy and inconsistent
WE SAY: Pacific Bridge to Noble Wealth
WHISPERS
PACIFIC UPDATE: Highlands Highway in trouble
PACIFIC UPDATE: Toafa new Tuvalu PM
COVER REPORT: FORUM RUMBLE
POLITICS: NEW PM DANNY PHILIP PROMISES THE BACON
POLITICS: RUDD'S BACK, BUT GILLARD PLAYS CAUTIOUS POLITICS
POLITICS: MICRONESIA STEPS UP RESOURCE PROTECTION
POLITICS: TOKELAU ON AN AMBITIOUS MOVE
POLITICS: BATTLE OVER NAME
VIEWPOINT: US STEPS UP GAME IN THE PACIFIC
BUSINESS: IFC ALLAYS FEARS IN PNG SEZ
BUSINESS: FISHING TO EXTINCTION SPINY LOBSTER
BUSINESS: VANUATU LAND BOOM BUSTED?
BUSINESS VIEWPOINT: SAWMILLS CRIPPLED IN QUEENSLAND
BUSINESS VIEWPOINT: SOME LESSONS FROM MAURITIUS FOR OUR ISLANDS ECONOMIES
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: CONNECTING PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITIES
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: FIJI IN MOBILE HEALTH SOLUTION
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: ASC has the Pacific covered
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Horne�s Vanuatu telecom regulator
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: BEMOBILE CUTS ENERGY COSTS
INTERVIEW: THE WAY FORWARD: HOW SPC AND SOPAC WILL FUNCTION UNDER NEW STRUCTURE
ENTERTAINMENT: HAKA TO HIP-HOP
WOMEN: GENDER EQUALITY IN THE PACIFIC
BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
RAMSI UPDATE: GETTING THE NEWS TO REMOTE COMMUNITIES
ENVIRONMENT: SPREP CELEBRATES 36 YEARS OF EXISTENCE
Copyright © 2007 Islands Business International | Disclaimer | Site designed and developed by iSite Interactive
http://www.islandsbusiness.com/isla...D=19424/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl
SPORTS: PACIFIC ISLANDERS DOMINATE RUGBY LEAGUESteering the sport towards a bright future
Peter Rees
Rugby league players of Pacific heritage are helping to steer the sport towards a bright future. That evolution takes another step forward when New Zealand plays Samoa for the first time in October. PETER REES reports
Sign of the times
Samoa has been on the international rugby league scene officially since 1988. But it has taken them 22 years to get the chance to play the Kiwis. The historic match to be played at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium on October 16, is a warm-up match for the Kiwis ahead of the Four Nations tournament where they face off against England, Australia and Papua New Guinea.
When the New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) announced the game in June, some sighed silently its about time.
Samoan Rugby League chairman Peter Paul was excited both countries would at last meet in a test.
"We were disappointed to miss out on the Pacific Cup last year and we need tests against the world's best to ensure we are better prepared for such tournaments in the future.
Others didnt see all the fuss. They argued that it took Samoa even longer in the rival code, rugby union - 69 years in fact when Manu Samoa played the All Blacks in that landmark test match in Auckland in 1993.
But the reality is, New Zealand has a lot to owe Samoa (and Fiji, Tonga, Niue, Cook Islands and to a lesser extent, French Polynesia) for its success in the international arena.
Samoa has already played Australia (in 2000), who despite going down to the Kiwis at the last World Cup two years ago, are still ranked the world's top league nation. But New Zealand has dragged the chain in that regard.
Considering the contributions of Samoans to the development of the league scene in New Zealand, the game is long overdue. But the Kiwis have worked hard to make up for lost time, playing Mate Ma'a Tonga last year, and the Papua New Guinea Kumuls at the 2008 World Cup. Toa Samoa is next on the list.
Growth
Rugby union and American Football (NFL) can attest to the dominating influence Pacific islanders have made in those sports. But in rugby league, that influence is even stronger.
Over 80% of the players named in the Kiwis training squad for the October clash have Maori or Pacific ancestry. While the All Blacks have only just seen a regular influx of Pacific talent since the 1990s, the New Zealand national league sides have been getting browner ever since the 1970s. The current Kiwis coach, Stephen Kearney is Maori.
Players like Dennis Williams (Samoan), Tongan brothers Dane and Kurt Sorenson, Kevin Iro (Cook Islands) and Olsen Filipaina (Maori/Samoan) paved the way in the early days crossing the Tasman to play in Australia at a time when few New Zealanders were good enough to hack it in the games strongest domestic competition.
Today, the NRL is filled with New Zealanders, many of them with Maori and Pacific blood-lines. Australian coaches cross over to New Zealand regularly to scout the abundant talent New Zealand has amongst its near half million population of Maori and Pacific island communities.
But not even that is enough to satisfy the thirst for the physical qualities Pacific athletes bring to a game, where speed, size and strength is everything.
Over the past decade, scouts are increasingly heading direct to the source of this talent the Pacific islands, setting up local bases to monitor the best young players coming through. Many they end up signing have played little competitive rugby league and are more likely to be rugby union converts.
The impact of Pacific islanders on league in Australia in particular has been so strong, it has influenced foreign policy with Australian federal funding now looking to allocate money towards league development in the region.
During the Superleague years in the 1990s when the NRL split into two warring factions with separate competitions, Superleague bosses were quick to set up base in the Pacific islands to ensure the production line of talent was aligned to their competition.
Millions of dollars were pumped into Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea at the time, until the lull came when the warring factions reunited under the NRL banner.
The financial loss incurred after the 2000 World Cup sent Pacific league into near oblivion. The last decade has seen the island nations fend for themselves which has allowed rugby union and football (soccer) to establish a firm foothold.
But since the 2008 World Cup, Australia and New Zealand have committed to helping the islands more.
The Pacific Rim nations have also banded together to ensure their survival. Last November, league officials from Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and the Cook Islands formed the Pacific Islands Rugby League Federation (PIRLF), which has now been accepted as an affiliate of the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF). Previously the island nations had acted in isolation of each other in league development. That will now change under the leadership of PNG Sports Minister Philemon Embel as chairman.
The formation of PIRLF is an historic occasion and I am looking forward to working with my Pacific brothers to drive social change in the region through rugby league," said Embel.
The new body committed to supporting each other and strengthening existing regional competitions such as the Pacific Cup, started in 1974, which is now a qualifier for the Four Nations tournament. Papua New Guinea, who are the strongest island nation in terms of world ranking and domestic infrastructure and playing numbers, qualified for this year's tournament after defeating the Cook Islands in last year's Pacific Cup qualifiers.
Trends
Current trends see scouts targeting younger players, identifying them early while they are still at school. This is especially the case in New Zealand where young league talent is better developed than in the islands due to the stronger domestic base in New Zealand.
Some New Zealanders who left for the NRL at a young age have ended up representing Australia instead.
This was the case with Auckland born Karmichael Hunt of Cook Islands descent, who signed for the Brisbane Broncos but at the peak of his powers as a regular in the Australian Kangaroos, he switched to Australian Rules in a multi-million dollar deal.
But others such as former league superstar Sonny Bill Williams, have stayed loyal to the country of birth. After winning an NRL title with the Bulldogs, he defected to rugby union and signed for Toulon in France. This year, he returned to New Zealand and is now in line for a place in the All Blacks end of year tour to Europe after impressing with Canterbury in the national provincial championship. Williams, of Samoan extraction, famously signed his first NRL contract aged just 15 on the boot of an old ute in his hometown of Auckland.
The argument of signing them up early is NRL clubs grab them while they are still learning the game and developing physically. They are then brought to Australia where they receive the best coaching at the best facilities. In three to five years, they are ready to step into the NRL.
One in three players in the NRL today are of Maori or Pacific descent.
By 2012, it is predicted Pacific island players will comprise 50% of the total number of NRL players.
The situation is comparable to what happened in the United States in the 1970s where black Americans began to outnumber white players in the professional NBA Basketball and NFL Gridiron competitions.
The rise in numbers in Australia is being helped by increased migration there by island families, via New Zealand or direct from the Pacific.
Among the pantheon of NRL stars today are 2009 Dally M Player of the Year, Jarryd Hayne (Fijian) of the Parramatta Eels, Newcastle Knights flyer Akuila Uate (Fijian) who was this year's top try scorer in the NRL, West Tigers captain Benji Marshall (Maori), Eels' crowd favourite, Fuifui Moimoi (Tongan), Tigers forward Dean Halatau (Niuean), strapping Panthers forward Frank Pritchard (Samoan), Souths Rabbitohs captain Roy Asotasi (Samoan) and giant Warriors wing Manu Vatuvei (Tongan).
There are many more.
Fifteen years ago, there were on average three Pacific islands players per club in the NRL. That figure is now around seven. There were 110 players of Maori and Pacific descent playing for NRL clubs in 2009. Polynesian players now represent almost 30 per cent of the NRL total roster. And in the NRL feeder competition, the Toyota Cup (under 20) over 50% of the players are of Maori or Pacific descent.
"The coaches are going for the bigger, stronger Polynesian players, rather than the quicker, more agile players," said Steve Hall, a development officer with the New South Wales RL for the past 20 years.
Those figures are even greater at the age group and schools level, so much so, that a decline in young players of Aboriginal and European descent has seen some authorities ask for the rules to be changed, the most important a weight for age rule that concerned parents are pushing for out of the safety of their children. Young Pacific island boys tended to develop faster than others and it was no uncommon to see kids weigh as much as 95kg in an under 11 match. That has created a dangerous mismatch in some games.
NRL chief executive David Gallop is glowing in his praise of the increasing Polynesian influence in rugby league.
"Every fan in the game loves Fuifui Moimoi," Gallop said.
"Clubs like Parramatta where Fuifui players is an example of how the different cultures can work well together. The Polynesians are an increasingly important part of the game at junior and elite level.
The World Cup gave many of them an opportunity to celebrate their heritage and go back to their NRL clubs with confidence. Jarryd Hayne's experience with Fiji is the best example of that. The Polynesian players have incredible natural ability."
The success league has had with Pacific players has seen rival code Australian Rules target island players to boost the code's profile. The AFL has already committed over $A23 million to developing the game in western Sydney, a league stronghold with a heavy migrant population. The long term goal is to establish an AFL pro team in the area.
The AFL has spent big in its efforts to woo young Pacific islanders to Aussie Rules.
Tongan powerhouse, Israel Folau, perhaps the highest profile NRL player of Pacific descent today, turned his back on league after signing a record A$6 million contract with the AFL. He followed Karmichael Hunt as the AFL rushed to sign both marquee names from league.
The AFL threat is likely to keep the NRL on its feet as it seeks to grow its player base and maintain its popularity and profile in the community.
International player eligibility laws enforced by the RLIF have been inconsistent as well with many players of dual heritage, swapping allegiances between World Cups. To some, this has made a mockery of international league.
The RLIF has traditionally been a weaker body than the NRL and the UK Superleague where the clubs rule the roost. But many see the future of rugby league dependent on the RLIF making sure the game grows stronger. Whichever direction rugby league heads, Pacific island players will no doubt be part of that journey.
Other Stories
LETTER FROM SUVA: AMERICA IN THE REGION: SAME OLD, SAME OLD?
VIEWS FROM AUCKLAND
WE SAY: Lifestyle diseases threaten islanders
WE SAY: Pacific's record patchy and inconsistent
WE SAY: Pacific Bridge to Noble Wealth
WHISPERS
PACIFIC UPDATE: Highlands Highway in trouble
PACIFIC UPDATE: Toafa new Tuvalu PM
COVER REPORT: FORUM RUMBLE
POLITICS: NEW PM DANNY PHILIP PROMISES THE BACON
POLITICS: RUDD'S BACK, BUT GILLARD PLAYS CAUTIOUS POLITICS
POLITICS: MICRONESIA STEPS UP RESOURCE PROTECTION
POLITICS: TOKELAU ON AN AMBITIOUS MOVE
POLITICS: BATTLE OVER NAME
VIEWPOINT: US STEPS UP GAME IN THE PACIFIC
BUSINESS: IFC ALLAYS FEARS IN PNG SEZ
BUSINESS: FISHING TO EXTINCTION SPINY LOBSTER
BUSINESS: VANUATU LAND BOOM BUSTED?
BUSINESS VIEWPOINT: SAWMILLS CRIPPLED IN QUEENSLAND
BUSINESS VIEWPOINT: SOME LESSONS FROM MAURITIUS FOR OUR ISLANDS ECONOMIES
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: CONNECTING PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITIES
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: FIJI IN MOBILE HEALTH SOLUTION
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: ASC has the Pacific covered
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Horne�s Vanuatu telecom regulator
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: BEMOBILE CUTS ENERGY COSTS
INTERVIEW: THE WAY FORWARD: HOW SPC AND SOPAC WILL FUNCTION UNDER NEW STRUCTURE
ENTERTAINMENT: HAKA TO HIP-HOP
WOMEN: GENDER EQUALITY IN THE PACIFIC
BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
RAMSI UPDATE: GETTING THE NEWS TO REMOTE COMMUNITIES
ENVIRONMENT: SPREP CELEBRATES 36 YEARS OF EXISTENCE
Copyright © 2007 Islands Business International | Disclaimer | Site designed and developed by iSite Interactive
