Islands do not owe New Zealand rugby anything - Mark Reason

An opinion piece on Stuff.co states that in rugby terms the Islands certainly do not owe New Zealand a living as New Zealand rugby has benefited massively from the economic migration from the islands and given just as little back as the European countries.

The opinion piece says that New Zealand rugby has not shared their wealth, have not promoted islanders into proportional positions of leadership either as players within the All Blacks or as coaches.

Former All Blacks, the late Jerry Collins and Fiji born Sitiveni Sivivatu. [image: rugbyworld.com]

It has also stated that New Zealand have also not gone to the islands and played games and for decades New Zealand Rugby has looked after its own self-interest.

It says that the All Blacks have played Fiji on just five occasions and even France have played them twice as many times.

The All Blacks have played Tonga on six occasions, 86 less times than Tonga and Fiji have met.

Semi Kunatani in action for the Flying Fijians in a test match against Tonga last year. [image World Rugby]

Sports Columnist, Mark Reason questions as to why should the islands feel loyalty to anyone other than themselves.

The article says that when Samoa and Fiji voted for Sir Bill Beaumont for the position of World Rugby Chairman, the former England coach Sir Clive Woodward reprimanded them in print saying their sympathy will be limited if those nations utter a word of complaint ever again at the lack of opportunity to play tier one nations or, in the case of the Pacific Island teams, about their best players being nicked by other countries.

Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu who was banned from the Rugby World Cup for criticising World Rugby for an unfair schedule and exploiting the islands eight years ago then tweeted and questioned what Clive Woodward has done for Samoa and Fiji, and yet he is running his mouth about what Samoa and Fiji should have done.

Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu 

New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey has said that they did their best to persuade Fiji and Samoa that it would be in their best interests to vote with the countries of the southern hemisphere for the leadership position of World Rugby but he understands the frustrations and the islands have also got to help themselves.

New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey 

The article reads that the contest between Bill Beaumont and Agustin Pichot for the leadership of World Rugby has generally been represented as a battle between the dark, repressive forces of the establishment and a younger, enlightened movement for change.

The article reads that in reality everyone is in it for themselves as the Northern Hemisphere wishes to preserve its own income streams and the Southern Hemisphere envies the money which the larger European populations generate for their countries and wishes to cut in on it.