Wtvr ever happened to Fiji ?!

[Muzzy]

hang on a minute... isn't NZ the scourge of the Pacific Islands??
I mean, that's what we have been hearing on these boards for years...

Yeah not really for Samoa and Tonga, they're lucky NZ has such a big Samoan and Tongan population so they've got a lot to choose from.

Just seen Patrick Osbourne has been named in the NZ sevens training squad, he only moved here in 2009. On one hand, its good for these guys, they get bigger opportunities, more money playing for bigger teams, but I hope this doesn't keep happening, because things will just get worse. Yeah Fiji have gotten players from NZ but only because they weren't good enough for NZ, so Fiji get NZ's scraps if they're lucky, while NZ takes their best up and comers.

edit: but on the other hand NZ does help Fiji too, like when they bring over their players for their clubs in the itm cup, they help develop them, guys like Kenatale, just as long as they let him be available for international selection

 

[FlukeArtist]

Yeah not really for Samoa and Tonga, they're lucky NZ has such a big Samoan and Tongan population so they've got a lot to choose from.

Just seen Patrick Osbourne has been named in the NZ sevens training squad, he only moved here in 2009. On one hand, its good for these guys, they get bigger opportunities, more money playing for bigger teams, but I hope this doesn't keep happening, because things will just get worse. Yeah Fiji have gotten players from NZ but only because they weren't good enough for NZ, so Fiji get NZ's scraps if they're lucky, while NZ takes their best up and comers.

edit: but on the other hand NZ does help Fiji too, like when they bring over their players for their clubs in the itm cup, they help develop them, guys like Kenatale, just as long as they let him be available for international selection

Thanks for adding that bit Muzzy, because I think it's important that those who write utterly ignorant posts (mostly written by those in the Northern hemisphere and South Africa) about NZ "raiding" the PIs (or some other sensatioanlist rhetoric) simply do not have the first clue about what they are talking about.

I manage Under 20's rugby at a club in West Auckland.
We have fijian players. But these aren't guys that have been bought in to play for the club.
These are local kids.
In fact, my best mate through school and up to this day is a NZ born Fijian.

For these ignorant fools to claim that NZ "steals" from the Pacific Islands just smacks of sour grapes to me.

It seems to me that because the ABs have been the dominant team in Rugby for eons, they need to find some way to try and drag them down.
...Even make out that NZ only win because they steal players to create a "dream team" of South Pacific talent.

The reality is; Auckland has more pacific islanders than any city in ANY pacific island.
And then there are the Pacific Island populations of Wellington, Hamilton etc as well.

NZ is going to have players of Pacific Island descent playing for NZ for all time. Get used to it.
There will come a time too, when NZ has players of Asian and African (non SA I mean) descent playing for NZ too.
And that will simply be a reflection of NZ society.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Fiji up to 9th in the world, an extension to residency and then next month they debut with their new club side, Fiji Drua, in the Australian NRC.

http://www.fijirugby.com/latest-news/fru-reveals-fiji-nrc-official-name-and-kit/

Does anyone know about the level of play in the NRC? Is it fully Pro? And what sort of Fijian players will likely be selected for this team?

The ARU gets a kicking, and rightly so. But unless they are holding the Fijian union to ransom for this they deserve credit for including them and being willing to travel to Suva.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

An introduction to the Fiji Drua



Highlights from their first two weeks in the Aussie competition.

(starring Quade Cooper and Kerevi for Brisbane)



(a couple of fantastic tries)

Looks like this could be a big deal for creating a pathway for young Fijians. More importantly, it looks like a whole lot of fun for anyone watching them.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

More entertaining highlights from the Drua. I'm starting to think a Fijian / Islander franchise in Super Rugby (or equivalent) might not be so unfeasible due to the amount of entertainment they offer the neutral.

 

[Muzzy]

Fiji Drua doing great, Fiji Rugby is doing well atm. Fiji Drua just thrashed the top team and defending champions Perth Spirit today 41 - 5. This makes me wonder about what the level of the Aussie teams are at though.

Peceli Nacebe is looking like a future star at 10, such a shame he got injured, but they've been doing just as well with Kini Douglas there. Fiji have hosted Super Rugby games with packed stadiums, they're currently top of the table in an Australian competition featuring Super Rugby players and Wallabies, they're making a good case for inclusion into Super Rugby. Will be awesome if we can win the hosting rights for a sevens tournament too. Things are looking really good for Fiji rugby right now.

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/09/23/drua-win-over-spirit

 

[Immenso]

Promising for Fiji is that a few forwards are coming through the Taranaki system at the moment.

In particular, much needed prop. Asaeli Sorovaki; who has graduated from Taranaki club rugby and been in the Taranaki academy (whatever they do), so I'd rate his chances. Taranaki have had a good history of producing front rowers the last 20-30 years, some people in that province know their stuff.
http://trfu.co.nz/port-taranaki-bulls/team/players/asaeli-sorovaki/

http://trfu.co.nz/news/news/port-taranaki-bulls-a-mix-of-experience-and-youth/

Plus loose forward: Sowakula.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/95839232/sowakula-no-longer-winging-it

A winger converted to loose forward. Contra to the sadly too frequent trend of Fijian rugby players being converted to wingers by their foreign clubs, regardless.

 

[bazwaz]

I had high hopes for Fiji in the last RWC but was disappointed they could'nt click after winning the Pacific Cup that year... Individually they are brilliant , awesome at the Seven -a -side game but they do struggle synthesizing in the larger 15 a side game for some reason...,, and as mentioned clubs may not release their Fijian players at times which does not help either.

but i am happy to see their world ranking has improved...they're one of the most entertaining teams in the world to watch when they start throwing the ball around like the Harlem Globetrotters of world rugby, completely fearless as well

Fiji are no slouches when it comes to rugby league either and so am really looking forward to seeing them go at this years RWC...they are a very exciting team to follow and capable of big upsets...can see their world ranking going up in league as well as it is with rugby union...

Lastly, anybody following NZ schoolboy rugby might've seen Waisake Naholo's little brother Kini Naholo in action this year . He's a growing sensation...playing for Hastings Boys High School, the winner of this years National High School premiere tournament he's scored 41 tries for them this season - player to watch out for..
You can also find his handywork on You Tube

 

[Brigantine]

So Fiji are threatening to win the Australian domestic comp...

That would set the bar for the Sunwolves in the Australian SR conference!

 

[Kiwiwomble]

...i live in Melbourne and didn't realise the NRC was underway....that's not a good sign

 

[Muzzy]

Promising for Fiji is that a few forwards are coming through the Taranaki system at the moment.

In particular, much needed prop. Asaeli Sorovaki; who has graduated from Taranaki club rugby and been in the Taranaki academy (whatever they do), so I'd rate his chances. Taranaki have had a good history of producing front rowers the last 20-30 years, some people in that province know their stuff.
http://trfu.co.nz/port-taranaki-bulls/team/players/asaeli-sorovaki/

http://trfu.co.nz/news/news/port-taranaki-bulls-a-mix-of-experience-and-youth/

Plus loose forward: Sowakula.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/95839232/sowakula-no-longer-winging-it

A winger converted to loose forward. Contra to the sadly too frequent trend of Fijian rugby players being converted to wingers by their foreign clubs, regardless.

Yeah I saw Sorovaki for Taranaki last year, good thing about him is he's only 22 as well. But I think Fiji might be putting more onus on Drua players over Mitre 10 Cup players, even though Mitre 10 Cup looks like its a higher level than the NRC. Usually Island players in the Mitre 10 Cup hold off on repping their countries in hope Super Rugby selection or the All Blacks. Sorovaki has actually played for the Fiji Warriors which is what the Drua used to be named. The Drua currently have 3 props in their team that are part of the Fijian squad, Tawake, Veitayaki Jr and Ducivaki. Tawake made his debut this year and is actually a pretty good prop, the Drua's scrum has been doing pretty well apart from their first game. Peni Ravai is also a beast, he played for Southland last year and is now playing in the Top 14. There's also the lock Viliame Rarasea for Counties who's pretty good. I think Sorovaki would be a good player for Fiji to develop though.

I also saw another prop last year Billy Logavatu playing for South Canterbury, he used to be a loose forward but converted to prop. Even at prop he was throwing crazy offloads and had the pace of a back, the guy is pretty huge too. Not sure where he is right now. I hope he gets the hell out of Heartland Championship though, waste of his talent playing there.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I see some Oz commentators are now pronouncing Drua with an "N" at the start - n'drua. Is that accurate?

 

[Immenso]

I see some Oz commentators are now pronouncing Drua with an "N" at the start - n'drua. Is that accurate?

Probably.

N sound goes in front of Gs and Ds in Fijian. ( other quirk is Cs sound more like a "th")

But usually these are in the middle of words rather than beggining, probably why it is so noticeable with the Drua.

So Tagicakibau sounds like Tangithakibau

 

[Brigantine]

and IIRC M sound in front of Bs. And Qs sound like "ng".

Somehow, I can see confusion between "Fiji n'Drua" and "Fijian Drua", which the commentator could have mixed up at some point. But also Vanua Balavu has the M sound and it's not in the middle of a word, so for all I know it could be correct still.

 

[die_mole]

Probably.

N sound goes in front of Gs and Ds in Fijian. ( other quirk is Cs sound more like a "th")

But usually these are in the middle of words rather than beggining, probably why it is so noticeable with the Drua.

So Tagicakibau sounds like Tangithakibau

what is this? madrid?

 

[Immenso]

Interestingly (to me)

In NPC game this week, Ken Laban commentating Manawatu game and he was pronouncing Newton Tudreu as Tundreu.

Ken Laban is a Kiwi-Samoan and usually spot on with his pronunciations of Pasifika names.

But the funny thing is that Tudreu, while Fijian, has a French name. But I guess that's how he pronounces it at home and Laban took the effort to ask him.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I saw something online saying the letter D in Fijian should have an "N" pronounced infront of it.

 

[Brigantine]

Fiji in the NRC Semifinals tomorrow. (QLD Country vs Fiji Drua)

If Perth win their semi today, the NRC Final might be in Fiji!

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

The Drua match last week was absolutely crazy - highlights below.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Up to 7th in the world (surely a record for them) and comprehensively shutting up doubters like me about the coaching change (whatever the rights and wrongs of it).

Almost out Englishing English tropes in the past couple of weeks in terms of their approach to the game. Competely removing stereotypes of what Fijian XVs look like.

good scrum
solid lineout
game manager at fly half
one up runners on fringes taking ball into contact to soak in defenders
patience going through phases and recycling the ball
generally winning contact with outstanding physical specimens
resolute defence

Well worth this victory. They had a try chalked off (botched) and their first conceded try was very soft. They were down to 14 longer than England. The score didn't flatter them at all in terms of overall performance.

Fantastic for a nation of around 600k indigenous Fijians (and possibly about the same for ex-pats) against a nation of around 56 million.