Fiji to join Australia's NRC?

[rowan]

Looks exciting:

The Fiji Rugby Union is in talks with their Australian counterparts and World Rugby about entering a Fijian team in the National Rugby Championship as early as next season.

The team would be based on the island and play home and away games under a possible expanded NRC competition in 2017, and would be made up of Fiji-based players.

The plan, hatched some months ago by Fiji coach John McKee, ARU high performance boss Ben Whitaker and World Rugby high performance general manager Peter Horne, would see World Rugby fund the team under its Oceania program.

It is still some months off official approval but would represent a major coup by the ARU. Australia and New Zealand are often criticised for drawing players from the region but doing little to help Pacific Island nations strengthen their own programs.

Fiji see joining the NRC as a way to help stem the talent drain from the island nation by building their own pathway for home grown players. Eventually, they hope it will also help lure back players plying their trade all over Europe.

The move comes as the Western Sydney Rams prepare to welcome to their roster high profile new recruit and Fiji sevens Olympic gold medallist, Vatemo Ravouvou, who has represented Fiji more than 100 times in sevens and scored 44 tries in the 2015/16 World Series.

Ravouvou and Fiji Warriors player Cyril Reece are waiting on visa approval, expected this week, before they fly out to join the Rams for their next home game against Perth Spirit, at Concord Oval next week. They will join Wallaby Will Skelton and Waratahs Hugh Roach and Senio Toleafoa in the Rams squad.

Rams coach John Muggleton says the prospect of Fiji joining the NRC would be a major boost for the country and for the game in western Sydney, which is home to the largest population of Fijians in the world outside Fiji.

"There is great potential out here for Australian rugby that it hasn't tapped, but also for World Rugby," he said. "This is a big catchment area for the islands and if people can play for clubs out here and we can offer a pathway, there's no reason why people should be going to the islands and just stealing their players."

Thanks to the hard work of Muggleton and Rams tournament director Milo Arona, rugby appears to be enjoying a long overdue mini-renaissance in western Sydney.

The pair, aided by former Wallaby and Rams co-coach Jeremy Paul, are staging a Pacific Islands tournament as curtain raisers to Rams home games across the NRC season, with the NSW Fijian, Samoan, Tongan and New Zealand Maori communities agreeing to take part.

In a sign of the huge latent interest in the area, more than 200 people turned up to trial for the NSW Samoa side, forcing the NSW Samoa Rugby Union to cut off registrations early and run 14 trial teams across seven games.

"I knew it would be big but I didn't expect it to be that big," Arona said. "The Pacific Island nations have always known that rugby is our first sport, so [staging this tournament] is a no-brainer. If you look at the Wallabies, half the team are Pacific Islanders and a third of them are from western Sydney. We all know it in our community, but nobody says it."

Among the aspirants were 60 rugby league players who, Muggleton said, grew up playing rugby but switched to league because clubs out west offered them $50 a game.

"There's great potential out here for rugby that it hasn't tapped," he said. "If World Rugby were serious about the player drain in the Pacific Islands they would set up an academy in western Sydney and tap into the massive populations here, and they'd do the same in south Auckland," he said.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/austr ... r6jaz.html

[Lizard]

That's a bloody good idea. The NRC needs a point of interest and it gives Fijians an alternate path to pro rugby. Nice.

[rowan]

Hopefully it'll go ahead. Not confirmed yet. See how the crowds go but, who knows, down the track it could even lead to a Super Rugby franchise...

[Mellsblue]

I know literally nothing of the competition, logistics etc but it's the sort of thinking that will safe guard rugby in the South Sea/Pacific Islands (whatever the correct term is) for the long term.

[cashead]

Hopefully it'll go ahead. Not confirmed yet. See how the crowds go but, who knows, down the track it could even lead to a Super Rugby franchise...

The problem is that the constant adding of team to the competition is just going to dilute the competition, and radical measures will need to be taken. Read up on the J-League, because Super Rugby is going through the same issues that struck that competition in the late 90's.

[rowan]

Personally I don't mind how many teams they add nor how much it dilutes the competition. But I think there needs to be a geographical definition and it doesn't get much bigger than the whole Southern Hemisphere. Therefore the Sunwolves were not an appropriate addition in my view. Nothing to do with the standard of their play. We've seen NFL and European soccer leagues expanded over the years, and that's got to be good for the sport. More professional players, more cities hosting teams and games, basically more interest all around. The only question, of course, is whether a club or franchise is financially viable. So long as it is, no problem. Bring them on, the more the merrier. Probably they should break it into two competitions eventually - especially if Japanese involvement is to continue: Pacific (Asia-Oceania) & Atlantic (Africa-Americas), and a few decades down the track they might want to break it up even further.

[Lizard]

If Super Rugby continues to expand (which seems inevitable, given history) then it will surely lead to greater and greater division between conferences, potentially even meaning you only meet certain other teams in the playoffs.

Frankly, I think the constant expansion is a mistake. Super Rugby has problems at its core including underperforming Aussie teams and ongoing politics from SA.

The TV-led competition design and insane travel is causing a non-travelling fan culture that I dislike and permeates even the "local derbies."

All that aside, If there is to be further expansion, then I would love to see a PI team involved. It should be administratively based in NZ to avoid the misgovernance to which Samoa and Fiji Unions are prone. It could divide its home games between Auckland (Mt Smart?), Sydney (the proposed new Parramatta stadium) and the islands to take advantage of expat supporters (and their $$$) and reduce the travel.

[rowan]

Well, the sport has become a business and these things take care of themselves. I support expansion because I think growing the sport and creating more opportunities for aspiring players takes priority over quality and frequency of fixtures with inter-conference rivals. The NFL has undoubtedly been the model for Super Rugby, but due to the much greater geographical distances involved in the latter I think it will eventually reach the point where there is a complete separation of the Pacific and Atlantic regions, though a 'Super Bowl' like final between the respective champions could be retained.

[rowan]

Fiji get a test against the Aussies next year too. Great to see closer relations between these two nations, given their geographical proximity (relatively speaking) and cultural connections:

2017 WALLABIES JUNE TESTS

v Fiji, 10 June, AAMI Park

v Scotland, 17 June, Allianz Stadium

v Italy, 24 June, Suncorp Stadium

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/aru-b ... 85e13e88d1

[rowan]

Squad:

Fiji National Rugby Championship squad:

Forwards: Eroni Mawi, Osea Ganilau, Joeli Veitayaki, Mosese Ducivaki, Samuela Newa, Kalivati Tawake, Mosese Gavidi, Samu Suguturaga, Jale Sassen, Apisai Tauyavuna, Timoci Temo, Samu Saqiwa, Jale Railalia, Peni Naulago, Sakiusa Nadruku, Jiuta Takubu, Filimoni Seru, Mosese Voka, Vasikali Mudu, Kelevi Naimasi, Peni Waqa

Backs: Frank Lomani, Seru Cavuilati, Sakiusa Gavidi, Alifereti Veitokani, Peceli Nacebe, Cyril Reece, Eroni Vasiteri, Josateki Turuva, John Stewart, Nemani Talemaitoga, Ifereimi Tovilevu, Apete Daveta, Eroni Sau, Aporosa Tabulawaki, Meli Nakarawa, Apisalome Waqatabu

[rowan]

The Fiji Rugby Union revealed the 2017 Fiji National Rugby Championship (NRC) team name and kit during the official launch at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva today.

The team will now officially be known as the Fijian Drua team and is synonymous with the Drua, a historic Fijian double canoe which was the largest and finest sea-going vessel ever designed and built. It was also the battleship choice for any central Oceania naval commander. Their main role was as war ships, taking part in naval battles and transporting warriors during raids. The speed of Druas became a legend for western sailors, who sometimes confused “Fijian canoes” with “flying proas” (a type of multihull sailboat).

Being officially called the Fijian Drua team reflects the history of the Drua that links tradition and heritage with a modern style as the team embarks on a new journey to battle it out at the Australian NRC Competition for the first time, beginning September 2 in Brisbane.

FRU Chairman Commander Kean said that following extensive research and deliberations they had decided to name the team the Fijian Drua as it encapsulates the history and success of one of Fiji’s sacred, traditional and historic war ships that inspired both fear and awe and was a true masterpiece.

“We owe it to our forefathers, our culture and our tradition to honour them for the masterpiece canoe that was renowned throughout the Pacific as sacred. It was a triumphant vessel and we pay homage to what was widely regarded as the greatest battleship of the Pacific by calling our team the Fijian Drua.”

Also unveiled today was the new team kit, featuring the team logo which is the Drua stylized in a football symbolizing speed, agility and flair which the Fijian rugby players are well known for on the field of play.

The kit features ISC’s innovative technology that will appeal to both competitive players and rugby supporters alike. Commander Kean thanked ISC for their hard work in designing a kit that reflects the history of the Drua.

“As a new team in a relatively new competition, we wanted to have the team playing in a fresh and modern outfit, and we have worked closely with ISC to come up with a design that is both modern and contemporary developed for competition and commitment.”

The 2017 NRC competition will run for 11 weeks with the Fijian Drua kicking off with their season opener on Saturday, 2 September against Brisbane City at Ballymore in Brisbane at 3pm (AST). On 9 September, they play against Melbourne Rising at the Harlequin Oval in Melbourne.Fans of the Fijian Drua will see their heroes in action in Round 3 and 4 in their first home fixture against NSW Country Eagles at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka on September 16 and then against Perth Spirit on 23 September at the ANZ Stadium in Suva.

Rounds 5 and 6 sees the team travelling back to Australia for their match against the Canberra Vikings on 29 September at Viking Park in Canberra and Greater Sydney Rams on 7 October at TG Millner Oval, Sydney.

Round 7 the team will be on bye, but Rounds 8 and 9 sees them hosting QLD Country at Churchill Park in Lautoka on 21 October and Sydney Rays at the ANZ Stadium in Suva on 28 October.

The Chairman of FRU has urged all the fans to come down and support the Fijian Drua team at any of their match venues either in Australia or Fiji. “I’m sure every Fijian rugby fan will be keen to watch our team in action against some of the Super Rugby Player not only in Australia but here on home ground with tickets as affordable as $10 for adults and $5 for Children U12.”

“I encourage all fans throughout the country to get on board with the Fijian Drua team and show your support by attending all their home games.”

“I would also like to thank World Rugby and the Fiji Sports Commission for their continuous support towards the Fijian Drua team. Without their support and generosity we would not have been able to play in this competition and for that the FRU will be forever grateful and indebted to them.”



Full schedule here: http://www.fijirugby.com/latest-news/fr ... e-and-kit/

[rowan]

Not the most auspicious start, but give them time (they're probably not used to playing in front of such a huge crowd ):

Brisbane City beat Fijian Drua 45-36 on opening National Rugby Championship 2017 weekend

[zer0]

No mention of the biting allegation? Seems pretty noteworthy. Especially for their first match.

[rowan]

Didn't hear about that, Zero, but some great tries, for sure. When we talk about the possible inclusion of a Pacific Island team (likely Fiji) in Super Rugby everyone focuses on the finances and forgets the flare. Obviously the former is of the utmost importance, but let's not lose sight of what the Pacific Island style of play would bring to the tournament.

[rowan]

Druas win big in Melbourne, and lots more exciting tries (of course)

[rowan]

Peceli Nacebe at 10 had a great game there. Surely soon to pick up a Super Rugby or European club contract ...

[morepork]

Any flares?

[rowan]

[rowan]

[rowan]

[rowan]

I believe the Drua are 5-3 and 3rd on the table. not bad in their debut season. Definitely need to be part of the proposed Indo-Pacific league

[rowan]

World Rugby report on Drua's success in the NRC

Australia's National Rugby Championship is set for its semi-finals weekend and this year one of the last four is a team that never competed in the league before this season.

Fijian Drua take on the Brad Thorn coached Queensland Country on Sunday, a team they lost to in the round-robin by just seven points in October and, judging by some performances to date, fans are set for a scintillating semi.

Funded by World Rugby, the team gives high-level competition to players from Fiji, providing an alternative to playing overseas and giving the people of Fiji a regular chance to watch high-level rugby at home.

The Drua played their historic first NRC match in September against Premiers Brisbane City at Ballymore and have impressed since then, finishing third on the table of nine and with some fantastic Fijian play they have quickly become the team everyone wants to watch.

Continues here: https://www.worldrugby.org/news/292067

[rowan]

Hammered 57-21 in the semis by Q'Land Country.

[rowan]

Drua kicked off their second season in Aussie comp with a 40-17 thrashing of Melbourne.

[rowan]

Fijian Drua pick up a high-scoring win in Aussie competition:

05:00 Finished
NSW Country Eagles
17 14 3
Canberra Vikings
24 0 24

07:00 Finished
Sydney Rays
31 19 12
Fijian Drua
34 5 29