Tahiti Thrown out of RWC qualifiers

[rowan]

Following hard on the heels of the Spanish saga, another scandal hits the World Cup qualifiers. Strangely, this was rumored to be the case soon after the match, but World Rugby confirmed the result and that seemed to be an end to it. Now they've gone back and confirmed the six-month old rumors instead! So Tahiti (pop 200 K) is out, and the tiny Cook Islands (10 K) progress to the playoff against the Asia winner for a place in the repechage tourny.



The Cook Islands will advance to the next stage of the Rugby World Cup qualifying stages after World Rugby ruled Tahiti - coached by former Highlanders wing Romi Ropati - fielded two ineligible players in a match last year.

World Rugby issued a statement saying it had investigated the game - won 13-7 by Tahiti in Rarotonga on August 4, 2017 - after a formal request from the Cook Islands Rugby Union.

Tim Gresson, a former Timaru Crown prosecutor and ex-NZ Rugby and International Rugby Board member, investigated the claims.

"Having considered all the facts,including submissions from Tahiti Rugby Union, he determined that the Tahiti Rugby Union had breached Regulation 8 by fielding two ineligible players," World Rugby's statement said.

Gresson ruled that the result be overturned and directed that the Cook Islands should be confirmed as winners.

The Cook Islands now progress to the next round of Rugby World Cup 2019 qualification, where they will meet the yet-to-be-determined winner of the Asia Rugby Championship ,home and away, beginning with a match in the Cook Islands on 30 June and the return leg on July 7.

World Rugby also imposed a £50,000 ($NZ98,000) fine on Tahiti - suspended for five years.

The ineligible players were two French-born backs, halfback Guillaume Brouqui, who scored a try, and first five-eighth Andoni Jimenez, who kicked a penalty.

The players and the Tahiti Rugby Union - represented by Papeete lawyer Sandra Laudon - denied the charges.

​Gresson found, in his judicial officer's report, neither player had a parent or grand parent born in Tahiti.

Gresson was "completely satisfied" that two players had not lived in Tahiti consecutively for 36 months - another key World Rugby eligibility criterion - when they first played for Tahiti.

Romi Ropati, Tahiti's coach, had declared in writing both players had been selected under the 36-month residency rule, Gresson's report said.

Brouqui lived in Tahiti from January 2009 to February 2012 but returned to France for osteopath treatment for eight months before returning in 2013.

He was first selected for Tahiti's Oceania Cup qualifying game against the Cook Islands in 2013.

Jimenez lived in Tahiti from July 2011 to December 2014, but made his debut in July 2013, "thus not satisfying the residency requirement by approximately 12 months", Gresson said.

Both players participated in Oceania Cup tournaments in 2013, 2015 and 2017.

Laudon claimed French Polynesia was "a integral part of France" and its citizens could move freely between France and Tahiti

However, Gresson's report said it was "beyond dispute that Tahiti and France are separate member unions of World Rugby".

The two players can make submissions to World Rugby before April 9.

[rowan]

Really doesn't seem much point in having a Pacific Islands qualifying group. Wasn't that just a one-off between Tahiti and the Cooks after Niue et al dropped out and PNG joined Asia? They might as well become a sub-group of Asia, which would be interesting. I've been saying for many years they should combine these two regions at all level. Imagine an Asia-Oceania 6 Nations involving Japan, HK and Korea alongside Fiji, Samoa & Tonga. It would certainly be as competitive as the Americas equivalent.

[Lizard]

I did wonder how Tahiti had managed to beat the Cooks (plenty of Aucklanders with Cook's grandparentage).

Oceania is effectively a sub-group of Asian qualifying with the play-off. However, it would make more sense for Asia to be a subgroup of Oceania given that the latter has 3 times as many teams of perennial RWC quality as Asia.

[rowan]

Good point. Asia has about twice as many members, but if we count NZ & Aussie, Oceania has about twice as many registered players with just over half a million in total. & of course Oceania is much stronger. Still, i'd go with an equal partnership and Asia-Oceania just rolls off the tongue a little easier.