News

Islanders want more game-time

Monday 10th November 2008

More time: Mosese Rauluni gets the ball away for the Pacific Islanders against England

Pacific Islanders captain Mosese Rauluni said their constituent nations of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga needed more game time between World Cups if they were to compete effectively with Rugby Union's major powers.

Rauluni, speaking after the Islanders' 39-13 defeat against England at Twickenham, said that their destiny lay in the hands of the sport's governing body - the International Rugby Board (IRB).

"The islands have to play more themselves," said the 33-year-old Fjian scrum-half.

"Unfortunately, Tonga next year don't have any November Test matches which is disappointing but Fiji and Samoa are touring."

"It's up to the Unions and the big men at the IRB to decide our fate."

Fiji knocked Six Nations Grand Slam champions Wales out of the World Cup last year and then gave eventual winners South Africa a huge scare in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile Tonga provided a tough test for all their opponents in France and although Samoa were not at their best in the World Cup, they have claimed notable scalps in previous tournaments.

Saturday's loss was the Islanders' seventh in as many international matches since a debut Test defeat against Australia in 2004.

Although seven members of their starting side at Twickenham play in the English Premiership, their cause wasn't helped by the fact they'd only come together as a squad for this tour the Sunday before the Test.

But asked whether the IRB, which during the past three years has ploughed some three million pounds into South Seas rugby, should insist they be granted greater preparation time, Rauluni was equivocal.

"Yes and no," he said.

"Our players are all over the world, in Japan, France and England. Maybe if the IRB stepped in and got us a few extra weeks (it would help) but some players get pressure from their clubs."

England, in their first match under new manager Martin Johnson, outscored the Islanders' five tries to one.

Rauluni was particularly taken by the pace of a back three featuring debutant and man-of-the-match Delon Armitage at full-back, new cap Ugo Monye and right wing Paul Sackey, who twice crossed the Islanders' line.

"We were impatient with the ball in England's 22 and that cost us," said Rauluni.

"Their back three attacked like we wanted to attack."

Quddus Fielea, the Islanders' coach, refused to blame his team's defeat on a lack of preparation time.

"We made some mistakes and that cost us," said Fielea.

"We only had three days training together this week but we won't use that as an excuse."

The Islanders face France in Sochaux this coming Saturday before rounding off their tour away to Italy.

"France at home are very tough," Rauluni conceded.

"We will have to go back to the drawing-board and see where our mistakes were.

"England controlled the ball better than we did. The French are a lot like us and will attack from anywhere so it's going to be a tough game.

"But we'll have a week to prepare and now we've played one game together."