World Rugby: TOP PACIfiC players for professional clubs
Top Pacific Island young players will now have the opportunity to expose their talents in professional clubs. World Rugby general manager high performance Peter Horne confirmed to Fiji Sun yesterday on the new partnership they have signed with Pacific Island Rugby namely Fiji, Samoa and Tonga and the Pacific Island Players Association for the new project. “This is to provide more opportunities to Pacific Island players,” Horne said.
The best 30 players from the three Pacific countries were identified following the three rounds of the World Rugby Pacific Challenge, which culminated at the ANZ Stadium yesterday.
These players will then march into a one-week camp today before the best potential players will be identified for Super Rugby clubs, ITM, Mitre 10 and clubs in the Australia National Rugby Championship.
“In this one week, players will go
The Fiji Airways Flying Fijians head coach John McKee is adamant that the country’s development programme is on track.
This was after the Fijian Warriors defended the World Rugby Pacific Challenge when they thrashed Tonga A 57-7 at the ANZ Stadium, Suva yesterday. “You can see from the Warriors results we have been quite dominant on the scoreboard in this tournament,” McKee said.
“I think that is the reflection of the lot of work that is going on with development of these young players. We have a lot of talented young players in the island and around the academy system. “These young players have shown that they are able to step-up and probably at the moment we are little bit ahead of our Pacific rivals in that area.”
What happened: In a classy performance the Senirusi Seruvakula coached- side scored seven tries in the first half. The tries came from Inia Tawalo, Tevita Ratuva, winger Veramu Dikidikilati, Waisale Urabuta, Luke Tagi with No.8 Albert Tuisue scoring a double.
First-five eight Serupepeli Vularika kicked over four conversions as they led 43-0 at halftime.
The Warriors continued to be dominant in the second half as Vularika scored the eighth try and converted it while the Tongans in the 63rd minute through captain, Fetuli Paea scored their lone try with the conversion going over. With less than five minutes of play remaining the rampant Warriors scored their final try with Vularika adding the extras with the conversion.
Comment: Tonga A head coach Isi Fatani said: “Definitely, this is a great tournament and it helps my players to develop their talents. In Tonga development is slow compared to Fiji. “I’m happy to bring them here in Fiji because I want them to learn and develop their talent for the future.”
SCORERS
Fiji Warriors 57: (Tries: Inia Tawalo, Albert Tuisue (2), Tevita Ratuva, Veramu Dikidikilati, Waisale Urabuta (2), Luke Tagi, Serupepeli Vularika. Cons: Vularika (6)
Tonga A 7: (Tries: Fetuli Paea. Cons: James Faiva (1).