WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
World Rugby invest quite a bit into PI already.
You've also got to factor a ROI
Leading into the last RWC WR (World Rugby) invested $85.5m in the 9 T2 nations. The PIs received over 50% of that.
World Rugby invest quite a bit into PI already.
You've also got to factor a ROI
Yep, wouldn't surprise me if Samoa lose to Chile in the next 2 weeks, but then have a significantly strengthened team for the final qualifying tournament (with European based pros) and win it easily.
If Samoa beat Chile, then I think the final spot is harder to predict, with Namibia, Belgium and Chile all with a decent shot at it.
That is a damning indictment on WR (World Rugby) (World Rugby). They beat a very decent Italy team and maybe don’t even make the next RWC due to player unavailability. Unethical stewardship.
The Pacific Nations cup takes place wholly within the Southern Hemisphere Release window (8 weeks from the first weekend of August).The PNC (Pacific Nations Cup) (Pacific Nations Cup) not being in one of the official Test windows makes things difficult. I mean we are seeing it first hand with Skelton and JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor) and we are a T1 Union. But it's not entirely on WR (World Rugby) (World Rugby). A big factor is financial and the current state of the Samoan Union. There's a number of Samoan players who otherwise could feature who have actively elected to play in the NPC as it makes more sense financially.
That being said, if they fail to qualify here they will have the FQT against Namibia, Belgium and Paraguay/Brasil. I suspect we'd see a number the European based players parachuted in to ensure they qualify.