A Layman's Look at Rugby
But here goes. Prior to this game, questions were asked if we were gonna beat the All Blacks or were we gonna loses miserably. Backed with the thought that we lost to Tonga and Japan in the Pacific Nations Cup and then we played an unconvincing game against Nadroga, many fans had very little to “place their bets” on. Even before the game, people were saying that the coach should go and that we lacked what it takes to become a champion side. Well, who can blame the Fiji fans, we didn’t look like a convincing winner, to say the least. One win, against Samoa, does not spell anything, if we came back from the dead in that game, we would be zombies, I hope we don’t remain that way.
However, our game against the New Zealanders told us that we too can play a good game. Heck, all our boys have international stamped on their resumes. I was gonna say forehead. But why weren’t we convincing in the PNC and with Nadroga. All the boys play overseas because they were plucked out of Fiji or wherever. They convinced the scouts they were good. What happens when we bring all our valuable players home. We need consistency to be able to map our way towards the world cup. But what about the boys, and what happens after the world cup? Will they all go back to their respective clubs?
Is this how we are gonna commit to world rugby all the time? Why can't Tonga, Samoa and Fiji play a round robin game with only locally-based players? Raw talent. But what we will need is a world class coaching team to for our Pacific nations to prepare our boys.
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Suggestion: Could Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand, Australia have a competition where all talent is raw?
1 comment:
Of course we played a good game against the All Blacks. Why should we not have? Fiji has all the requisite skills but has been systematically 'plundered' by other nations - even neighbour nations - who ought to have a wider view of their responsibility towards the game of Rugby Football in developing countries. The defence in the game against the All Blacks (played in Dunedin in atrocious cold) had greatly strengthened. So much so that our company Calcutta went to someone else (a novice concerning rugger in general).
Can we imagine for a second what it feels like to play for your country and literally put your neck on the line against fellow nationals playing for the opposition? Better paid, better resourced and in every way better administered.
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