Rugby's Pacific Paupers

That Australia hosted the 5th World Cup in rugby is well known. And who can forget England's first win at the World Championship, clinched by that heart-stopping drop goal by goalkicking ace Jonny Wilkinson? But did you know that:

ONE
Of the 20 teams that competed in the World Cup, eight are not voting members of the International Rugby Board.

TWO
The eight teams that qualified for the quarterfinals are the so-called founding unions, the elite of International Rugby Board (IRB).

THREE
Across the globe, a total of 95 unions are affiliated with the IRB, yet only 13 of them are represented with voting powers on the IRB Council.

FOUR
Of the 13-member IRB Council, the board's decision-making body, the eight founding unions reward each other with not one but two votes each.

FIVE
Fiji, Samoa and Tonga attend IRB Council meetings, but only as observers with no vote. All the above facts are not known even by diehard followers of the game here in the Pacific where rugby has been aptly described as the game they play in heaven.

Go Fiji Go...Crowd cheers as Fiji's Rupeni Caucau makes a dash for the try line

Point number five would have created an uproar across the world had the IRB been a political organisation like the United Nations. In relegating smaller and obviously poorer unions like those three of the Pacific countries to observer status, disenfranchising them in the process, smacks of a practise from the colonial era. Even before the World Cup began in Australia last September, rugby unions like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga were airing their frustration publicly to the news media as, according to them, the IRB was just not sympathetic or listening to their plight.

"Politically, there will be a huge uproar if a less than fair system is used," says Charlie Charters, marketing manager of Fiji Rugby Football Union. "It's completely unacceptable for two or three countries to dominate the IRB. It has become a pretty exclusive lot and the sad thing is, there's no sign of this changing!"

These strong words were echoed by Sakapo Lolohea, chief executive of the Tonga Rugby Football Union, and Philip Muller, of Samoa Rugby.

Said Lolohea: "It's amazing how these major countries in the IRB are pillars of democracy whose values are being promoted in education, business, etc. But in rugby they practice differently."

His Samoan counterpart, Muller added: "Democratic principles always work out over positions of privilege. How does this change come about is the question? Democratic FIFA for all its faults has made their game really global especially in Africa and most recently Asia."

Lolohea said the three unions have expressed interest in becoming a voting member of IRB, but nothing has eventuated on that submission up until now.

Charters, who's also CEO (chief executive) of the newly formed Pacific Islanders Rugby Alliance (PIRA), combining Fiji, Samoa and Tonga unions, said the problem is IRB's "top down" approach and that "you only speak when you are spoken to." "There's a lot of frustration as no one seemed interested in looking at our unique problems. What we now have is these very least resourced unions with the smallest of voices fast becoming the third tier of rugby nations," said Charters.

No response was immediately forthcoming from the IRB's Dublin headquarters, but undoubtedly it would take issue with the hardline stance taken by Pacific rugby nations. Most probably it would point to the IRB Council's decision in its November meeting in Sydney where a special committee was formed to look into the plight of smaller unions, referred to as "second tier nations." Even this move did nothing to reassure the agitating islands unions who have pointed to the glaring omission of any of their representatives in the special committee.

Muller was at the Sydney meeting as the Pacific's sole and silent observer: The chairman (of IRB) Dr Syd Millar took it upon himself to establish this special working party to include the most influential people on IRB to look at the problems facing the second tier nations including the three Pacific Islands unions.

Right: Samoa's Brian Lima sizes up England's golden boots Jonny Wilkinson

"Of course, our interests would be better served if we were represented. These committee members have been members of the council for some years with little support coming to the Pacific. I am not sure how they would have a full appreciation of our needs. But I do feel that they would have a good understanding of what is feasible by way of solutions." Should the Pacific then expect a lot from this working committee?

"I think there is an understanding of the problem. But I do not think there has been the collective will to do anything about it. This committee may have the necessary drive if they can focus only on the problems," said Muller.

That Millar and his council are aware of the dilemma islands rugby faces, no one can deny. "The gap between the wealthy unions and the poorer unions is widening and the IRB will have to do something about that," the former Irish rugby great told Jim Stokes of BBC Sports. We need strategic financing and to identify the needs.

"It's not just a rugby thing; it's a very complex job as you are dealing with different economies." If Millar sounded sympathetic, there was none coming from the Pacific's closest neighbour. Australian Rugby Union managing director John O'Neil questioned the validity of some of the claims.

"We have a major issue confronting us now which is this gap between the rich and the poor, and we are reading a lot of emotional statements at the moment, some of which I think are more down the propaganda line than are necessarily aligned with facts," O'Neill was quoted by ABC Online on October 17.

"I think post-World Cup we need to get fact-based information on the table, then deliberately and very determined ensure that going into World Cup 2007 to the greatest extent possible, that gap is closed."

Recognising the gap between the rich and poor would be no compensation to unions like Tonga, which many agree had the "most outrageous" draws in the World Cup: three test matches in nine days and four test matches in 14 days. "This shows that some countries are more equal than others," said Lolohea.

Millar was candid about the draws, admitting that the games were deliberately to benefit the bigger (and of course richer) nations. "We have to generate money for rugby in general and, of course, TV requires top matches at certain times so we have to be aware of that. The format and structure of the tournament sometimes has to reflect that," the IRB boss told ABC Online on November 3. "It's something that again we have to address and look at, it's nearly impossible to please everyone."

That Australian and New Zealand rugby are not the Pacific's pals is well-known, at least from Lolohea's perspective. "The truth is New Zealand and Australia do not represent our interest as we would have liked them to be," the Tongan rugby boss said. "It's only in the last two years that the restructure of the three unions was in progress and the new leadership in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga pursued our rugby at the highest level. I believe our approach complement each other because we have common advantages and weaknesses."

On Australia and New Zealand, Muller had this to say: "They have spoken out in the past but do our interests coincide?" So what's the way forward?

The suggestion from Muller, a former head of the regional scientific body, the South Pacific Geoscience Commission, may have come a bit too late given the terse response so far from the IRB heavyweights.

"We must do everything to get attention but not at the cost of becoming complaining whingers. It is a very fine line and our detractors will use that skilfully against us. We do have some detractors in high places," the Samoa rugby official said. But he was adamant of one thing though. A boycott of IRB and its World Cup is certainly out of the question, at least for Tonga and Samoa.

"Samoa, like Fiji and Tonga, is a very proud rugby playing nation and I expect we will do everything possible to be at the next World Cup in 2007, even if we are not competitive."

Fiji's CEO Pio Bosco Tikoisuva did not respond to questions, sent to him. But Charters said, "one just have to be optimistic" about rugby in the region.

Charters in trying not to be too pessimistic, said in Fiji, rugby nowadays has not been an easy thing to do. Early December came the news of the resignation of Mac McCallion, Fiji's coach to the Australian World Cup. The former New Zealand Maori coach was not giving reasons, but Charters was quoted by the local media as saying McCallion was getting tired of getting the IRB to consider the plight of islands rugby nations like Fiji and "he wouldn't want to wait for another four years for things to happen."

Muller, the man who represents the Pacific at the IRB, does not see a bright future either. My own vision of what will happen to islands rugby is not an optimistic one. I can only pray that I am wrong and those with influence can reverse or at least stem the flow of the drain on Pacific rugby.

The Tongan burst...Sione Fonua on a rampage against Italy

New Zealand has announced eligibility criteria for their NPC (National Provincial Championship) and we have already been kicked out of the Super 12. If we are dying, the only consolation is that it will only be a matter of time for others even New Zealand."

Lolohea, of Tonga, was not as downhearted as his two other colleagues. He spoke of the historical visit to the region last year of then IRB chairman, the late Vernon Pugh. I believe Tonga, Samoa and Fiji must keep up the momentum of engaging the IRB in a pro-active and decisive manner.

We have taken the first step as an observer on the council as well as being members of two IRB Committees: Age Group Rugby and Women's Rugby.

We have initiated the Pacific Islanders' team which will take the field for the first time this year with the support of the IRB and SANZAR. The European countries have also accepted this concept for development and commercial reasons.

I strongly believe that we have one foot inside the IRB door. We need to engage them rather than withdraw and do nothing. If we had the help since 1999, Tonga would have beaten Wales, Fiji should beat Scotland and Samoa beat England.

"Nobody at the IRB level disagrees that we need help. We need to prove to the IRB that we can take care of our own affairs at home."