England’s arrogance towards islands exposed
England’s perceived arrogance towards the Pacific Islands has been highlighted by one of their own ahead of their opening Rugby World Cup match against Tonga on Sunday.
Australian Scott Wisemantel, who is now Eddie Jones’ attack coach, says it’s important that the major countries support Pacific Islands rugby.
The topic is a hot issue at the sport’s global tournament with many island players absent because of demands from rich European clubs and the general financial stability of rugby in the area under scrutiny.
‘‘There’s no reason you couldn’t go there,’’ Wisemantel told The Times when it was pointed out that England had never played in Tonga or Samoa.
‘‘Other teams have been there, Italy did it a few years ago. I don’t think that just because it’s England you can think you’re above everyone else.’’
England’s last appearance in the Pacific Islands was in 1991 when they beat Fiji 28-12.
Wisemantel has first-hand experience of the islands scene, having been part of the Samoa coaching team at the 2011 World Cup.
‘‘If you tack on a game against Australia or New Zealand or whoever, then you make it viable as a tour.
‘‘But it’s a long way to Wisemantel said. go,’’
‘‘I’m not an administrator but you look at tier one versus tier one, as opposed to tier one going to the islands to watch different time zone.
‘‘It makes it very difficult. I’d like to see it happen but will it happen, I don’t think so.’’
Wisemantel believes revenuesharing was the way super powers could help the minnows.
‘‘The problem is the revenue, whether financially it can be done, that’s the biggest issue. In regards to that, potentially a solution is that in the November window, the Pacific nations get to play one of the big dogs at one of the big stadiums and they get a piece of the pie,’’ Wisemantel told
‘‘These important.
‘‘We have to keep building the
countries it on a
are
really base for them.’’
When England hosted Samoa at Twickenham in 2017 they donated £75,000 to the Samoan coffers which The Times estimated to be about one per cent of the revenue generated by the match.
England have played Tonga twice, both times at World Cups. In 1999 they thrashed Tonga 110-10 and in 2007 they won 36-20.
Tonga are coming off a 92-7 loss to New Zealand, having played the All Blacks in Hamilton on the eve of the World Cup.
That was the sixth time the All Blacks have played Tonga though only the second outside a World Cup. The All Blacks have never played a test in Tonga.