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Post by supersteve on Oct 17, 2009 14:35:38 GMT 10
Great to watch those highlights.
One thing I really felt while watching them is how good it is for these islander nations to have the pacific cup back, and to be able to play for their home countries in a major tournament every year, with a genuine reward for the winner. It will give players like Felitei Mateo and Foifoi Moimoi (hopefully) a lot more incentive to represent their home countries rather than New Zealand.
Beez is probably right, Tonga couldnt have played too much better, but they have to start again somewhere and they will only get better with more regular international competition.
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Post by Kiwi fan on Oct 17, 2009 18:23:31 GMT 10
They certainly haven't capitalised on the Kiwis world cup win. I didn't return to NZ after the world cup until July so I'm not too sure on the interest it generated over here but surely there hasn't been a better time in NZ for league to attract fans. The All Blacks failed, yet again, at the RWC in 2007, the Kiwis won the RLWC08, the Warriors struggled this year but the NRL produced a lot of excitement & while union fans faced the uncertainty of where the union NPC was headed in 2010. But all New Zealand gets is one home game, & it's a warm-up game. Looks like they've missed out because all the attention is going to be on the RWC2011 in New Zealand by the time the Kiwis next play at home. I agree completely. Instead of us getting a real game it is carted off to the London Stoop. If they get a shit crowd there, I'm going to be so angry. It would have got 20,000 in NZ. 8,000 was a very good crowd for Rotorua, it would have been heaps more if it was on a weekend. I'm very impressed with Tonga. They put in a good effort but I'm glad we came out on top in the end. Hopefully that is our not so good performance out of the way and we will improve a lot. |
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jim
Marquee Player
Posts: 1,150
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Post by jim on Oct 17, 2009 19:10:36 GMT 10
At the very least they should get 4 games next year. If they win this year's 4 Nations I would give them the 2010 final.
If they don't win the 4N:
Mid Year Test - Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
V Tonga - "Regional" NZ
V Australia - Eden Park, Auckland
V England - AMI Stadium, Christchurch
V PNC1 - Westpack Stadium, Wellington
4N Final - Suncorp Stadium, Brisban
If they do:
Mid Year Test - Westpack Stadium, Wellington
V Tonga - "Regional" NZ
V Australia - Sydney Football Stadium
V England - AMI Stadium, Christchurch
V PNC1 - Mt Smart, Auckland
4N Final - Eden Park, Auckland
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Post by sportsmad on Oct 18, 2009 10:57:47 GMT 10
that would be great to see that schedule jim. unfortunately i think Australia will get the final no matter what and as dual "host nations" they will be far from equal.
i heard a while back that there might be a double header with officials afraid england v PCQ would draw an embarrassing crowd
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Post by Seluman on Oct 19, 2009 17:59:52 GMT 10
G'day lads...
How bout that Kiwi vs Tonga test last week eh! woowee! bring on the 4N & PC I say.
I was great to see the Kiwi's show some class, esp through their halves, to finally pull away in the end. I must say though, the 2 disallowed Tongan tries, were a joke, bordering on ridiculous... even the Sky TV comentators were in dis-belief when they were disallowed... 
Although the Kiwi's were missing a number of top stars in the like of Manu Vatuvei, Asotasi, Mannering etc... so was the young and very inexperienced Tongan team. Had me thinking that the game would've been even more interesting if a few of Tonga's stars missing from last years RLWC squad were playing... eg Michael Jennings, Antonio Kaufusi, Moimoi, Tuiaki, Talanoa, Tony Williams, Cooper Vuna, Anthony Tupou & co.
I hope Kearney gets the boys firing for this weeks clash vs Oz... that Tonga game could just be the warm up needed!
With Moimoi back, along with the likes of Lima, Blair & Pritchard... theres some real fire power there... and unlike days of old, this new Kiwi breed doesn't fade in the last 20... throw in the classy halves pair of Benji & Fien... Luke's darts from dummy half... this Oz game looks like a real classic! ;D
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Post by sportsmad on Oct 19, 2009 20:47:48 GMT 10
yeah it was definately a great game to watch. i cant see them beating Australia though. then again , i said that before the world cup final. The halves for NZ work well together. they have really developed a combination. i ahvent been able to say that about the nz halves since i can remember. if only stacey and benji could ahve played together....
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Post by Druzik on Oct 20, 2009 9:06:18 GMT 10
G'day lads...
How bout that Kiwi vs Tonga test last week eh! woowee! bring on the 4N & PC I say.
I was great to see the Kiwi's show some class, esp through their halves, to finally pull away in the end. I must say though, the 2 disallowed Tongan tries, were a joke, bordering on ridiculous... even the Sky TV comentators were in dis-belief when they were disallowed...
Although the Kiwi's were missing a number of top stars in the like of Manu Vatuvei, Asotasi, Mannering etc... so was the young and very inexperienced Tongan team. Had me thinking that the game would've been even more interesting if a few of Tonga's stars missing from last years RLWC squad were playing... eg Michael Jennings, Antonio Kaufusi, Moimoi, Tuiaki, Talanoa, Tony Williams, Cooper Vuna, Anthony Tupou & co.
I hope Kearney gets the boys firing for this weeks clash vs Oz... that Tonga game could just be the warm up needed!
With Moimoi back, along with the likes of Lima, Blair & Pritchard... theres some real fire power there... and unlike days of old, this new Kiwi breed doesn't fade in the last 20... throw in the classy halves pair of Benji & Fien... Luke's darts from dummy half... this Oz game looks like a real classic! ;D Well Moimoi and a whole bunch of others should be playing for the other PI nations and not for Australia or NZ. |
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Post by Kiwi fan on Oct 20, 2009 14:33:47 GMT 10
that would be great to see that schedule jim. unfortunately i think Australia will get the final no matter what and as dual "host nations" they will be far from equal. i heard a while back that there might be a double header with officials afraid england v PCQ would draw an embarrassing crowd Play it in the islands and there would not be an embarrassing crowd at all. If it was in Fiji or Tonga it would be the biggest rugby league game ever played there, I'm guessing. The public would get in behind I'm sure. It would also give us one up on rugby. I mostly agree with what Jim said. It's too bad we won't get the final it would be great if we did. I think it would be good if the game against "Tonga" was taken down to Greymouth, I think we played a residents game down there a few years ago and it is a big league area. I hope if we do get good games we can get good crowds to them. |
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beez
Reserve Grade
Posts: 250
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Post by beez on Oct 20, 2009 14:42:13 GMT 10
Well Moimoi and a whole bunch of others should be playing for the other PI nations and not for Australia or NZ. I agree with you on Moimoi, but who are these "whole bunch of others" that should be playing for for PI nations? |
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Post by Seluman on Oct 20, 2009 19:11:28 GMT 10
My thoughts exactly Beez...
C'mon Druz me ol mate... we've been through this before on other forums...
Just because everyone (overseas) see big 'brown fella's' running around in the Kiwi jersey, they somehow auto think, he's been 'poached' and should be playing for Tonga, Samoa or Fiji etc... fact is, NZ is a very multicultural nation, and be it luck or just the way it is, Auckland also happens to be the largest Polynesian city in the world... majority of the PI lads in the Kiwi's are NZ born anyway & are proud to wear the silver fern...
so who's to say otherwise?
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Post by Druzik on Oct 20, 2009 19:58:47 GMT 10
Well Moimoi and a whole bunch of others should be playing for the other PI nations and not for Australia or NZ. I agree with you on Moimoi, but who are these "whole bunch of others" that should be playing for for PI nations? Jennings and Hayne for a start... IIRC, they played for PI nations less than a year ago... no? I dont give a flying F**K about this stoopid RLIF rule... they played for Fiji and Tonga and they should stick with them. |
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Post by Druzik on Oct 20, 2009 20:03:09 GMT 10
My thoughts exactly Beez...
C'mon Druz me ol mate... we've been through this before on other forums...
Just because everyone (overseas) see big 'brown fella's' running around in the Kiwi jersey, they somehow auto think, he's been 'poached' and should be playing for Tonga, Samoa or Fiji etc... fact is, NZ is a very multicultural nation, and be it luck or just the way it is, Auckland also happens to be the largest Polynesian city in the world... majority of the PI lads in the Kiwi's are NZ born anyway & are proud to wear the silver fern...
so who's to say otherwise? Sel, the issue is not if they are eligible for NZ or anyone else... the issue is that they should choose a bloody country and stick with them... Moimoi played his first international test for Tonga... then went TO COURT to play for the Kiwis, or rather the Kiwis went to court for it... he then tried to GO TO COURT again to swap back to the kiwis for the WC... but got rightly rejected.... and now we see him in the Kiwi jumper again... Look in the end its not Fuis fault I suppose, he just exploits the weak rules to his advantage... but it does not mean its right. Choose your country and stick with them... if you are really that despearte to play for the other... wait out for 4 years, lets see how fair dinkum they are, miss internationals for 4 years which will include a WC... lets see how serious they are on swapping. |
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Post by supersteve on Oct 20, 2009 20:30:56 GMT 10
I agree,
Its not a good look to have players switching countries from one year to the next. It looks mickey mouse to the average sports enthusiast.
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beez
Reserve Grade
Posts: 250
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Post by beez on Oct 21, 2009 7:12:41 GMT 10
Jennings and Hayne for a start... IIRC, they played for PI nations less than a year ago... no? I dont give a flying F**K about this stoopid RLIF rule... they played for Fiji and Tonga and they should stick with them. Hayne played for Australia in 2007, he shouldn't have been allowed in the Fijians last year. & if Jennings was told he'd never be able to represent Australia if he turned out for Tonga, I think it's likely he would've sat out the world cup. You are quick to point the finger at Australia & NZ but the PI nations push the rules as far as they can. The eligibility rules are a mess, it should be one nation for life (or a stand down period of at least four years) but this would probably all nations would go some way to solving this problem |
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Post by Druzik on Oct 21, 2009 10:23:46 GMT 10
Hayne played for Australia in 2007, he shouldn't have been allowed in the Fijians last year. OK fine, then Hayne should not have been allowed to play for Fiji... I can live with that. At the moment in 2 years he has played for 2 different countries and it looks bloody stooped. Again I would rather that. There is no where that I specifically pointed Australia and NZ out for doing this... I know all nations are doing it... hell even the Italians have done it! It doesnt make it right. I used the example above as they are the highest profile ones and have involved Aus, NZ and the PI's... i wasx makinga point beez.... It has to stop. Which is what I have said above. |
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