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Super Rugby Pacific (2022)
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<blockquote data-quote="Bruce_ma gooshvili" data-source="post: 1067944" data-attributes="member: 74121"><p>Apologies for the major off topic, but looking at this map the thing that strikes me is New Caledonia, literally in the middle of the theoretical Super Rugby Pacific territory. I know Drua and Pasifika will be playing home games in Aus and NZ but I would have thought some common interests might be at play (French player development plus Aus/NZ wanting new TV markets/money, of which France is renowned).</p><p></p><p>New Caledonia is French controlled (not uncontroversially). 40% of the population (around 100,000 people) are indigenous Kanaks, who are Melanesian, like Fijians (see Vahaamahina of France as an example). Another 30%+ are white French (also not unaccustomed to an aptitude for rugby).</p><p></p><p>Apparently the main sport on the island is football, with rugby a bit of an afterthought and unlike Fijians, Tongans and Samoans I can't see any sizeable Kanak migrant population in NZ and Aus. Plus French club rugby is in a healthy state and doesn't really need a Super Rugby franchise for either financial, fan or talent development reasons (although it might be the sort of project that might help different ethnicities in New Caledonia get along better, which I imagine would be a French political objective).</p><p></p><p>So I am confident New Caledonia (and Vanuatu, an independent nation, also Melanesian) will never become involved in Super Rugby Pacific, but it does seem strange to have a place in this location that screams out like it should be a major rugby hotbed being a bit of an irrelevance in rugby terms. [/off topic]</p><p></p><p>Anyway, I'm looking forward to this tournament and seeing what the two new teams can bring to the party on and off the field. Roll on February 18th.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bruce_ma gooshvili, post: 1067944, member: 74121"] Apologies for the major off topic, but looking at this map the thing that strikes me is New Caledonia, literally in the middle of the theoretical Super Rugby Pacific territory. I know Drua and Pasifika will be playing home games in Aus and NZ but I would have thought some common interests might be at play (French player development plus Aus/NZ wanting new TV markets/money, of which France is renowned). New Caledonia is French controlled (not uncontroversially). 40% of the population (around 100,000 people) are indigenous Kanaks, who are Melanesian, like Fijians (see Vahaamahina of France as an example). Another 30%+ are white French (also not unaccustomed to an aptitude for rugby). Apparently the main sport on the island is football, with rugby a bit of an afterthought and unlike Fijians, Tongans and Samoans I can't see any sizeable Kanak migrant population in NZ and Aus. Plus French club rugby is in a healthy state and doesn't really need a Super Rugby franchise for either financial, fan or talent development reasons (although it might be the sort of project that might help different ethnicities in New Caledonia get along better, which I imagine would be a French political objective). So I am confident New Caledonia (and Vanuatu, an independent nation, also Melanesian) will never become involved in Super Rugby Pacific, but it does seem strange to have a place in this location that screams out like it should be a major rugby hotbed being a bit of an irrelevance in rugby terms. [/off topic] Anyway, I'm looking forward to this tournament and seeing what the two new teams can bring to the party on and off the field. Roll on February 18th. [/QUOTE]
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