World Rugby boosts Pacific RWC preparation [1]
Wednesday, November 22, 2017 - 13:11
World Rugby has increased by 19% its current investment on the Fijian, Samoan and Tongan Rugby Unions and the preparation of their national teams for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
The enhanced investment by the World Rugby in co-operation with Pacific Rugby Players, announced on 9 November, is targeting at closing the performance gap between Pacific national teams and world top-ranked teams ahead of the Japanese 2019 Rugby World Cup RWC.
The 19% increase in its current 20 million Pounds four-year cycles 2016-2019 investment, amounts to another 3.8 million pounds.
The organization called Pacific Rugby Players was established in 2013 with the objective of ensuring that both current and former players contribute to the success of Pacific Islands rugby both on and off the field.
The current Pacific Rugby Player board representatives are: Akapusi Oera, Jack Lam, Siale Piutau, Seilala Mapusua, Faifili Levave, Fale T. Pole and Deacon Manu.
The World Rugby investment includes significant support for world-class coaching and technical advisors, and the improvement in the strengthening and conditioning, sports science and medicine.
As the Fijian, Samoan and Tongan national teams are currently touring the northern hemisphere, this funding programme includes all player insurance costs, squad assembly costs including flights to Europe from each of the Pacific Islands and internal flights.
World Rugby General Manager, High Performance, Peter Horne said that working towards 2019 RWC, “we need to ensure that the three Pacific Islands teams are as competitive as possible and this increase in world-class staffing and support will really benefit the squads.”
Both the Flying Fijians and the ‘Ikale Tahi have qualified for the RWC 2019, but the Manu Samoa still battling through the process of qualification.
Pool C: Ikale Tahi with England, France, Argentina and the USA.
Pool D: The Flying Fijians with Australia, Wales, Georgia, and a team yet to qualify from the America.
Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Europe 1, Play-off winner.
Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Africa 1 and a Repechage winner.
Meanwhile Tonga’s Rugby Union is in turmoil.
Tonga's Chief Justice, Lord Chief Justice O. G. Paulsen in the Supreme Court on 3 October 2017 announced that the amendment of the Constitution of the Tonga Rugby Football Union TRU on 11 May 2016 is void.
Then on 9 November 2017 Chief Justice Lord Chief Justice O. G. Paulsen appointed the Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu as Amicus Curiae, who is to call an Extra Special Meeting of the Tonga Rugby Union to elect a President and a Deputy President and other positions in the Union that became vacant following the voiding of the amendment of the constitution of the TRU on 11 May 2016. (The former Prime Minister, ‘Akilisi Pohiva and Fe'ao Vunipola were elected under the amendment of 11 May. )
Since 3 October 2017 the TRU has been without a President and a Deputy President.