Dan54
Tim Horan (67)
Think you will find the PI team will use Fiji for games in island, and of course I hope the drua would keep going ,but I suspect the top players would be in a PI team, think you might find some in the MLR team anyway.
Where to for Super Rugby?
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Think you will find the PI team will use Fiji for games in island, and of course I hope the drua would keep going ,but I suspect the top players would be in a PI team, think you might find some in the MLR team anyway.
Rebels3
Jim Lenehan (48)
In all honesty I think the best option atm would be set up the MLR team. Then the next step would be potentially move the Drua to the Mitre10 Cup (that’s if NRC is no more) and then set up a combined Samoan/Tongan team to play in the championship, bringing the Mitre10 to 16 teams and 2 divisions of 8. Give the teams a World Cup cycle to develop talent with the eventual target for a 2024 introduction of a PI super team. The two Mitre10 teams would then be used as legitimate pathway teams into a professional franchise.
Dan54
Tim Horan (67)
You lot are so f***en defensive, it is not NZR that the write up is about, it is PI team, and saying they want to set up there. I haven't actually heard one word from NZR about them, only from RA saying they should be here.mI personally thought Sydney was place to set them up, but got hauled up be a Samoan mate who told me bullshit, his answer was where is the biggest Island community in the world? Ausckland and as he says bugger the Blues he wants them there, and mate lives in Brisbane!! I still think it should be and will be aTT comp, but starting to look like there maybe a PI team in it? Look NZ teams will lose a few players and probably Aus teams, but it great for PI rugby!!
Dan54
Tim Horan (67)
BH I thought you were brighter than that! Read the write up , they know the money they need to pay players, players have to available for Island teams, and isn't it funny you don't say the same about having a PI team in Aus comp??
WorkingClassRugger
David Codey (61)
MLR franchises are only allowed 10 foreign players on their squads. The rest have to be either US eligible or 'domestic' in the sense that they have to either be from the US and it's territories or Canada as Canadians don't count as foreign imports under MLR's mandate. So we won't be seeing too many.
Additionally, we'll have to wait and see if this happens yet. Saying you have the capital is one thing actually having it is another. This same group said they had the support and agreement of the Hawaiian Govt. only for a representative of that Govt. to come out and call bullshit on that claim in the past few days. We'll find out in due time of course. They are about 21 days into their 90 days exclusivity period in order to prove that they have the minimum $10m USD in order to paying the licencing fee and run basic operations (not including accommodation etc. and travel both for their squad and for visiting teams) for three seasons and negotiate terms. Even then if they don't pass muster with the leagues other 10 voting groups (two teams are owned by one guy and San Diego holds a minority stake in Utah. Ironically both group are either 100% Aussies or with an Aussie as a primary shareholder) they won't be voted in. Even after all that if they are successful there's an annual cash call required. It's not expensive by many standards but it's not cheap either. Especially if you have to replicate much of those costs (albeit for different reasons or areas of operation) for a squad based out of NZ.
As for games in Fiji. I would bet Fijian would likely get behind a primarily Fijian team more so than a combined squad. But even then. Why shouldn't the Drua participate in our competition? Especially if post-Covid that team is based in and plays out of the Islands themselves much as the Drua and Lautui have up until this point.
WorkingClassRugger
David Codey (61)
But if a player qualifies for the ABs and chooses to take that opportunity how exactly could they stop them or NZR from doing so? Additonally, regarding a PI team here. Well, at least initially coming from most likely NZ in regards to many Samoan and Tongan players (much like many of their national team players) and Fiji in regards to Fijians as it currently stands they won't qualify for selection for 3 years.
Wilson
David Codey (61)
That will probably be news to Fiji, given the team is yet to contact the Fijian union (or any of the other pacific unions).
Dan54
Tim Horan (67)
Why I said think, it all early in piece and may not actually take off, I just saying what I have heard rugby people involved with the team or island rugby say, I not saying anything is right or wrong. The CEO of the PI team says they have actually looked at Mt Smart Stadium to play out of there, I was throwing in the Fiji bit because that was a suggestion of Afekai last week saying he thought they should be in Auckland with some games in Fiji as they the only country that would be able to host games. I would suggest no PI franchises have yet to contact the Pacific unions, the only reason I mention this one as they seem to already have something set up, or close to it with Mick Byrne and Tamati Ellison supposedly hired as coaches. Anyway perhaps Joe Rocokoco was leading us astray and it not really happening.
I think the same would happen if it was in Australia.
Do you think a PI team is going to have the same player budget as one of the NZ or Australian teams? Assuming it doesn't, it would be pretty fertile ground to recruit from. Kanaloa Hawaii would not seem to be the only potential PI team given the early nature of where we're at.
PI players like any player aren't immune from moving for opportunity.
Rebels3
Jim Lenehan (48)
The island community is very different per country. Australia has more Fijians than any place in the world (not including Fiji), there is just short of 100k Fijians that live in Aus. That’s almost 10x the Fijian community in NZ. NZ has easily the largest Samoan community over over 100k which is 2/3x the size of Aus. And also Tongan around 20k in NZ and 10k in Aus.
Rough figures are;
Aus = Fijians 100k, Samoans 50k, Tongans 10k
NZ = Fijians 10k, Samoans 150k, Tongans 20k
Obviously all 3 communities have people that identify as these communities heritage-wise so would expand the number even further.
Hence if the side is going to be a predominately Fijian based side, it adds considerably more weight to been Aus aligned, if it’s going to be a genuine partnership between the 3 islands NZ would be the better option. That’s something for the parties to weigh up.
Dan54
Tim Horan (67)
Yes I think any PI team would have to have same budget as NZ and Aus teams or as you say they wouldn't be able to survive if they didn't have same budget!
Dan54
Tim Horan (67)
Just as an example I can see 3 Crusaders that would be prime candidates, Andrew Makalio, Fetua Paea, Ala'alatoa to go in PI team, I think you could then follow this through to other 4 NZ franchises, you would have a bloody competitive squad, then some young fellas from around the place, maybe one or 2 from Aus teams
waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Have you not read the caveat attached to Aratipu? It's all just contingency planning in the event travel restrictions etc make the resumption of four-nation, 14-team Super Rugby impractical in 2021
.
kiap
Steve Williams (59)
I think that's close to the money.
2021 is the last year of the existing SANZAAR agreement isn't it?
kiap
Steve Williams (59)
This year was it, wasn't it?
But it then depends what's intact from Sanzaar's 2021-2025 arrangements, if any.
waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
"What is known is that SANZAAR have Super Rugby and Rugby Championship agreements in place until 2025, no matter how unlikely it is that those obligations can be met."
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-...-new-zealand-australia-and-argentina-is-over/
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-...-new-zealand-australia-and-argentina-is-over/
Wilson
David Codey (61)
It would likely have to be significantly higher to compete though. Both Australian and New Zealand teams have some of their wage bill offset directly by the national union paying top ups and indirectly by the selection requirements dictating where players can play.
kiap
Steve Williams (59)
Yeah. We might need a decision from (Mark) Robbo on whether the marriage is annulled.
I think it's a case of repeating the word 'talaq' three times in succession, amirite?
waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
^ ask SANZAAR to put out a Super Rugby 2021 draw by, say, 31/10/20 & "if" they can't, surely that's enough? In the meantime RA & NZR can keep working on their "contingency plan(s)". Simples.
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