If we don't start involving the emerging teams more after this World Cup we need to pack up. The likes of Fiji, Italy, Scotland and the USA have been a revelation and others like Samoa and Tonga have offered great value. I'd set up a tournament to run alongside each four nations involving these sides and have them playing in double headed fixtures alongside a four nations game.

Let's use it as a mode of qualification for future four nations and as a means to expand that competition. If we give players the opportunity to play in more high profile competition we may not see as many players keep swapping nations.

There's a passion for international rugby league and that's been evident these past few weeks, let's take advantage of that.

I think double headers are the way forward, if the 4 Nations is in the Northern Hemisphere, have games like France-Scotland as the warm-up to England-Australia. Same when its in the Southern Hemisphere, have PNG-Samoa as the warm-up to NZ-Fiji.

the smaller nations get the chance to play in front of bigger crowds at better grounds, and the game doesn't incur the cost of hiring 2 grounds out for the day, and the fans get a better knowledge of the smaller teams players and 'star' names which can only help sales when a World Cup comes round. Everyone's a winner.

The Newcastle Knights have done quite a lot for League in Fiji in the last few years. Many of the coaching and training staff have spent time in the country, including running camps and trial games leading up to this world cup. You can see the Australian based Fijians v the domestic Fijians trial game on youtube from a few months ago, and they also had a warmup game a week before the WC where the full WC squad played a game against domestic players in Fiji. A few years ago they brought the Fiji domestic side to Newcastle to play a pre-season trial against the Knights (which was a good game - Fiji played much better than the scoreline indicates - they bashed the Knights around in fact).
This year the Knights gave two Fijians trial games. The highest profile player was Watisoni Votu, a winger who has been a regular Union rep for Fiji in both 7s and 15s. He looked really good in his 3 or 4 trial games and I understand the reason he was cut was because he spoke no English and the coaches found it difficult to communicate what they wanted him to do, which wasn't working because he needed to learn a lot to convert from Union to League. The other guy that trialled was a 21 year old prop named Simi something. He is a huge unit with a lot to learn, and after a few trials he was dropped back to the local comp to learn his trade. I don't know if he went well enough to get a call up to the squad this year.
For the last few years the Knights have also planed to have a pre-season camp in Fiji, but it hasn't panned out for one reason or another. This year I think the Auckland 9s have killed off the idea - but in principal it is very doable. Fiji has a lot of holiday resorts which can be rented cheaply which have gyms and nearby football fields.

Well if they use soooperdoooper league as a model they may as we'll burn the money!

Rumours that Fiji will have a home fixture in next year's Four Nations, possibly against England.

That would be a superb thing to happen. To be honest when the home nations were having a bit of a bleat about OZ/NZ wanting a year off last year, I thought at the time it would be a great alternative to tour the pacific islands. I know the facilities aren't the best but I'm pretty sure it would be abetter bonding experience for the squad than camps in Loughborough and South Africa and would give back a lot to an area that is bled for players with no real input in development from the benefactors.

On this clip - looks like a crowd of about 10k for a game without a single NRL or ESL player (Fiji residents v Fiji Overseas) www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMi5hc0x2mg

On this clip - looks like a crowd of about 10k for a game without a single NRL or ESL player (Fiji residents v Fiji Overseas) www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMi5hc0x2mg

Quote ="roopy"On this clip - looks like a crowd of about 10k for a game without a single NRL or ESL player (Fiji residents v Fiji Overseas) www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMi5hc0x2mg'" There are a few NRL but not many, be good to see the whole match!

Quote ="roopy"On this clip - looks like a crowd of about 10k for a game without a single NRL or ESL player (Fiji residents v Fiji Overseas) www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMi5hc0x2mg'" There are a few NRL but not many, be good to see the whole match!

It would be interesting to see what side Fiji would come up with next year.
Obviously Civo would be a huge loss, but Korbin Sims will probably be a prop next year, and maybe he could fill the big boots of Civo.
Some of the aging backs like Wes Naiqama, Millard and Waqa could make way for Nabouli from Penrith and maybe the third Tani brother from Fiji, who is supposed to be better than the other two, and is being described in Fiji as as good as his uncle (Noa Nandruku).
The big area they could improve is if Sutton is fit and could be their main playmaker, and maybe Groome could move to hooker, where he usually plays, and where Fiji seem a bit lacking.
They probably also need to find 3 or 4 quality forwards to compete with the big 3 nations. Their backs are good enough, with Sutton their halves would be good enough, but once you take out Civo they are looking very short in the forwards.

Fiji is probably well worth devoting time and money as the source of players is large and its underserviced by RU as Fiji isn't treated as a major international team. So long as we don't see endless Uate clones playing Origin rather than for Fiji, there are also benefits for NRL clubs in terms of talent as well.

They would have had to move to Australia before the age of 12 to qualify for SOO
That would make them Australians via emigration.

I seem to remember reading last year that Mcnamara tried to organise something along those lines last year, but it was't to be. I just hope the NRL bosses will ignore idiots like Rothfield and now finally recognise the importance of international RL.

Most tours need to make money or at least break even.
A tour to the Pacific Islands would make a significant loss.

I hope that this year's Tonga v Samoa test held in Penrith becomes a regular thing to keep the interest levels up.

Well, they got over 10k to Penrith, that was not bad, could have been better though, half of Sydney's Western Suburbs are made up of Islanders or Arabs.

Surely if the quoted £5M made from the WC's is for international development, underwriting tours like this is as good a development tool as there is.

would it?

I dont necessarily think so, expecially for somewhere like Fiji where tourism is a such a large part of the economy. Im sure the Fijian tourist board would be more massively supportive of England touring their nation and showing off the country, get a couple of sponsors like BA and Hilton, even if they only pay in kind the main costs are pretty much covered already. Then you can sell the TV rights for probably the biggest sporting event in Fiji for a long time, aswell as the UK rights,

This article says 5 non NRL Fijian players have had interest from ESL clubs. www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=252681 Only one I'd be interested in is Groom. He really stepped up and looks like he could play at ESL standard as a playmaker - at least a second string one.

This article says 5 non NRL Fijian players have had interest from ESL clubs. www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=252681 Only one I'd be interested in is Groom. He really stepped up and looks like he could play at ESL standard as a playmaker - at least a second string one.

But they will.Goes without saying. And I don't mean that to sound negative. Culturally the Fijian player would then help his community by donating monies back home. So they'll take the money on offer. Especially if they played Origin for match payments rather than national identity or pride.




Great to hear your Knights put a lot of effort into Fiji mate.



Aaron Groom is ordinary I'm afraid. The person to be looking at is Apisai Koroisau. He plays hooker/half at the Bunnies. Imagine a halves pairing of him and Sutton as they train together week in week out anyway!




Not 100% true Buggo. Uate moved to Oz as a teenager.
You are not Australian because your family move here. You may be a resident or permanent resident.

www.newcastleknights.com.au/news ... -Men/88123 Rick Stone talks about the World Cup experience. I didn't know they included a 19 year old local in the squad. I hope Rick has recruited him for the Knights under 20s.

www.newcastleknights.com.au/news ... -Men/88123 Rick Stone talks about the World Cup experience. I didn't know they included a 19 year old local in the squad. I hope Rick has recruited him for the Knights under 20s.

The new rule for SOO - as of just before the WC - is that you have to have lived in a state before the age of 12 to play SOO
I don't think it is retrospective. It would wipe out a heap of players if it is - including Inglis, Uate, McManus.

19 year old Tikiko Noke - a member of the bati squad who didn't get a game in the WC - has signed for the Newcastle Knights under 20s. Another Fijian player is set to sign and train with Tikiko while visas are sorted. rugbyleaguespotlight.com/tikiko- ... e-knights/

19 year old Tikiko Noke - a member of the bati squad who didn't get a game in the WC - has signed for the Newcastle Knights under 20s. Another Fijian player is set to sign and train with Tikiko while visas are sorted. rugbyleaguespotlight.com/tikiko- ... e-knights/

Fiji are playing Samoa around Anzac Day next year. I saw the tie when the NRL fixtures came out last week.

FNRL are meeting to put together a proposal to hold the Fiji v Samoa game to qualify for the 4 nations in Suva.

So it looks like its not set in stone that Fiji are in next years 4N's.

Would like to see PNG playing Tonga that weekend also.