Poaching Takes Its Toll

While Fijians will be disappointed by their team's departure from the Rugby World Cup before the quarterfinals, they have reason to be proud of the country's National Schools Team, which toured Australia for the first time in October. The tour was part of a program Australian and New Zealand schools have established to set up regular contact with their Pacific Island counterparts. Samoa and Tonga toured earlier in the year.

But Fiji's tour also highlighted one of the major challenges for Pacific Island rugby-the poaching of island talent by rich rugby countries. "We've had some interest in our players from scouts," says Fiji Coach Samisoni Baikeitoga. "They were interested in our captain Kalivate Cavuilati, our locks and others, but I told them they have to do everything in Fiji. We have proper regulations and procedures and we need to do it in black and white."

Fiji’s National Schools Team made its country proud. Photo: Samantha Magick

It's a perennial problem. As Fiji Rugby Union Marketing Manager Charlie Charters told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, "a lot of the pressure that's put on the players is done specifically to avoid a paper trail. It's a discussion with a coach outside a dressing room, or after practice on a Friday night."

Australia's own schoolboy's team had a good number of players of Pacific Island ancestry. The Australian Rugby Union itself has expressed concern that the advent of professionalism in rugby may have adverse consequences for Pacific Island countries. The drain of Island talent from the Pacific was even raised last year at Auckland's Pacific Islands Forum meeting.

Baikeitoga would like to see his schoolboy players represent Fiji at the next World Cup. "We need to develop the talent, and keep the talent in the Pacific," he says. He supports the establishment of a national school competition at more junior levels, such as the Australian National Under 16's tournament, in order to give players big game experience.

Baikeitoga was rightly thrilled by the performance of his players. They were narrowly beaten 17-12 after the Australians scored a try in the closing minutes.

"I told them to play with Fijian flair, to spin the ball wide, make big hits and not give away too many penalties," Baikeitoga says. "This Australian team is really the baby Wallabies and our boys did really well."