Spain calling for match v Belgium to be replayed.

[neiliog93]

The Pacific teams are the type who can be awful for two years straight, and then get the rare opportunity to have a full squad of players and time together in camp before a RWC. And then they go and smash up a Tier One nation, e.g Fiji 2007, Tonga 2011, W.Samoa in 1991 and 1995, etc.

[kermischocolate]

The Pacific teams are the type who can be awful for two years straight, and then get the rare opportunity to have a full squad of players and time together in camp before a RWC. And then they go and smash up a Tier One nation, e.g Fiji 2007, Tonga 2011, W.Samoa in 1991 and 1995, etc.

Yep.
Imagine if other nations didn't constantly poach their players, they had actual facilities /backing to compete properly.

[Morf]

The Pacific teams are the type who can be awful for two years straight, and then get the rare opportunity to have a full squad of players and time together in camp before a RWC. And then they go and smash up a Tier One nation, e.g Fiji 2007, Tonga 2011, W.Samoa in 1991 and 1995, etc.

Yep.
Imagine if other nations didn't constantly poach their players, they had actual facilities /backing to compete properly.

Not to get too Dave Cahill but the players want to play abroad to earn well for their families.

A lot of them also value Europen/Kiwi/Aussie clubs that somewhat have their sh!t together rather than unions/government pretending to be sporting governing bodies f%~king everything up every big tournament in terms of funding/stealing their gear for themselves/to sell etc.

It's less of a crime when the victim is an active agent in it. It's more the bleating of journalists and people on message boards about 'theoretical Cook Island XVs' than the players involved.

[kermischocolate]

The Pacific teams are the type who can be awful for two years straight, and then get the rare opportunity to have a full squad of players and time together in camp before a RWC. And then they go and smash up a Tier One nation, e.g Fiji 2007, Tonga 2011, W.Samoa in 1991 and 1995, etc.

Yep.
Imagine if other nations didn't constantly poach their players, they had actual facilities /backing to compete properly.

Not to get too Dave Cahill but the players want to play abroad to earn well for their families.

A lot of them also value Europen/Kiwi/Aussie clubs that somewhat have their sh!t together rather than unions/government pretending to be sporting governing bodies f%~king everything up every big tournament in terms of funding/stealing their gear for themselves/to sell etc.

It's less of a crime when the victim is an active agent in it. It's more the bleating of journalists and people on message boards about 'theoretical Cook Island XVs' than the players involved.

Of course they do. And no one can blame them for that.
I still think in a mythical world where the pacific islands had access to the same type of set up as the tier one nations it would be a brilliant thing.

[Morf]

Of course they do. And no one can blame them for that.
I still think in a mythical world where the pacific islands had access to the same type of set up as the tier one nations it would be a brilliant thing.

Yeah, t'would be a fine thing so see full-strength Fiji, Somoa and Tonga ripping through a RWC where your own country wasn't on the sharp end of a mass Islander side-step.