Pasifika’s plan to ‘capture’ young players

Moana Pasifika and World Rugby are in game-changing talks that would make the new Super Rugby outfit the ‘capturing’ side for the Samoa and Tonga test teams, fending off potential raids from the All Blacks and the Wallabies for young players who come through their pathway.

Hale T-Pole, the chairman of the Pacific Rugby Players, has outlined the proposal in a wideranging interview with the Sunday Star-Times, outlining how Super Rugby Pacific is just the first step in a bigger plan to revive Pasifika rugby, while acknowledging there are hurdles.

T-Pole, who also revealed that Moana Pasifika was prevented from setting up an academy in Aotearoa as part of its New Zealand Rugby licensing conditions, said the Fijian Drua had lost ‘‘between 10 and 15 players’’ due to delays in getting their full licence.

He believed Pasifika players were initially wary about Moana Pasifika but were being won over, and said there had been some ‘‘frustrations’’ to overcome about the signing of Lincoln McClutchie, the Hawke’s Bay No 10 who isn’t eligible for Samoa or Tonga.

‘‘From the outside, not getting involved in the discussion process and getting that inside info, you’ll be a bit p ... ed off with that,’’ he said of McClutchie’s signing. ‘‘I did get a few messages from Tonga and Samoa when that announcement come through, and I fully understand the frustrations, but I don’t have a problem with it, for now.’’

T-Pole is arguably the bestconnected identity in the Pasifika rugby landscape. The Dunedinbased former Highlanders and Tonga player is the conduit between Pasifika players, agents, national unions, the NZRPA, World Rugby, Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua.

It is a complex role but an important one, with horror stories still doing the rounds about how island players are exploited and bullied, particularly in Europe.

T-Pole also remains driven by improving the test performances of the island nations, and eligibility is an enormous part of that puzzle.

At present, Samoa and Tonga capture players by picking them for their Sevens or test sides – but that pool is relatively small compared to the huge number of Pasifika players in the game.

However, World Rugby – with Kiwi Joe Schmidt involved – Moana Pasifika, and the Samoan and Tongan unions want to expand that.

‘‘Eventually, playing for Moana will be a capture team for Tonga and Samoa, and the Drua [for Fiji],’’ T-Pole said, revealing that commission-hungry agents had already pushed back against it. ‘‘We want to look out for the best interests of Fiji rugby, also.

‘‘Currently, Tonga and Samoa and World Rugby are working on other ways to capture players.

‘‘Not in a selfish way, but we’ve got to start something, to capture players to build up our depth.

‘‘It’s been up for discussions a few times, so that’ll be a work in progress. And, hopefully, in the next year or so, it’ll be confirmed.’’

Such a development – although belated – would turn

Moana Pasifika’s vision of aiding Samoa and Tonga into a hard reality. At present, players ‘commit’ to the island nations when they sign for Moana Pasifika, but T-Pole has been around long enough to see the loophole.

For example, an uncapped young player could star at Moana Pasifika and attract the attention of a New Zealand or Australian franchise, thus making him eligible for the All Blacks or Wallabies the minute they sign.

World Rugby’s role is critical. While it has been widely reported that it has invested in Moana Pasifika, the money is actually going through the Samoan and Tongan rugby unions to develop pathways.

The straight-talking T-Pole doesn’t blame NZ Rugby from baulking at the idea of allowing a Moana Pasifika academy in Aotearoa — ‘‘rightly so, they want to help but they’ve got to protect their teams’’ — but says there are dozens of young players that Tonga and Samoa could attract if they set up their own academies in New Zealand.

‘‘There are s . . . loads of kids in south Auckland that fall through the cracks,’’ he said. ‘‘You go to that under-19 competition in Taupo. Every year there are Samoans and Tongans playing for Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, even here [Otago].’’

About 18 months ago he called out NZ Rugby for a lack of action, but he believes it has now ‘‘stepped up’’.

He likes the commitment of inaugural Moana Pasifika coach Aaron Mauger, who effectively took a big pay cut.

‘‘He could have earnt $500k in Japan,’’ T-Pole said. And while the “hard work” starts now for Moana Pasifika, T-Pole says the Pasifika rugby community has been buzzing over the past week as they announced their initial signings.

“I’ve got a good feeling so far from both Moana and the Drua, they lost a lot of other [big name] players because of the [licence] process dragging on.

“Next year they’ll have a look, they’ll keep in touch from afar.’’

“I think in the next two years, they will have to put their thinking caps on just to pick the right players.”

‘‘Tonga and Samoa and World Rugby are working on other ways to capture players.’’ Pacific Rugby Players chairman Hale T-Pole, above