Nadolo gets behind bid for Pacific Islanders franchise

ISN’T it odd how things come full circle.

Back in the supposedly bad old amateur days, the Super Ten competition was formed in 1993. Western Samoa competed for the first two years and, when they were dropped, Tonga competed in 1995. Then the game turned professional and it all got ugly.

I was at the South Africa-Samoa World Cup quarter-final when mover and shaker Louis Luyt sang extravagant praise of Pat Lam and his team.

Following a direct question from me he assured everybody there would always be a place at top table for Samoa in the new SANZAR organisation which, with the Rupert Murdoch money about to come on tap, was revving itself up and about to relaunch a Super 12 tournament. Everything would be fine.

A couple of months later Samoa, and indeed Tonga and Fiji, were right royally shafted and omitted from the competition and cast out into the wilderness where they still try and struggle on.

Nemani Nadolo, below, is the latest to argue for a combined Pacific Islands franchise to be included in a foundering competition that could surely profit from their x-factor.

“In Samoa, in Tonga and in Fiji they idolise Super Rugby,” argues the Montpellier wing.

“If you took a game to Samoa, to Tonga, to Fiji and put the ticket prices down, you’re going to get numbers through and it’ll bring everyone together.

“It’s what the island nations need. We need a team that’s going to put us back on the map and Super Rugby would be the ideal competition. If we can combine with one force and attack Super Rugby it would be pretty exciting to see and you’re going to get more numbers and more interest from the Pacific Islander community.”