Death of the minnow

Tonga's win over France has hopefully put paid to the intollerable 'minnow' term. Photo: rurgbyworldcup.com

Question: What's the collective noun for all international rugby teams that don't play in the Six Nations or the Tri Nations (or now the Rugby Championship)?
Answer: According to most journalists and rugby pundits alike, the answer is a 'minnow'.

It's a lazy and simplistic grouping that, based on the performances of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, is inappropriate and irrelevant. Indeed, Georgia, Samoa, Canada are no more the 'minnows' of Rugby than Scotland, Italy and England are the 'whales' of world rugby.

Rugby World Cup 2011 was a break-out tournament for a number of the emerging teams. Georgia have well and truly landed on the world scene and with the Government declaring Rugby the national sport and almost all of their players playing professional rugby in Europe, Georgia are here to stay and their appearance in the knockout stages of a future RWC is inevitable.

Similarly, Samoa had an impressive tournament in what turned out to be a formidable Pool. Although they will be disappointed not to have made the quarter finals, the Manu Samoa took both Wales and South Africa to the wire.

Pool A was intriguing. Japan started their campaign at a furious pace against France which, for mine, was one of the most enjoyable games of the Pool stages. At the 60 minute mark they were within a converted try of France and looking dangerous - only to fall away in the final 20 minutes. Canada played out of their skins to beat Tonga with clinical defence and had it not been for Tonga's brutal defeat of France in their final pool match, Canada would have automatically qualified for RWC2015.

In fact almost all sides, with the exception of Namibia and perhaps Fiji, gave their more fancied opponents a scare at some stage or another at RWC2011.

To collectively group all teams that don't have the privilege of competing in the Six Nations or the Rugby Championship as 'minnows' is fallacious. Rugby is growing at an impressive rate and the international competitiveness of all teams is improving markedly. As this Rugby World Cup has demonstrated, the minnow is dead.

Improving lives through sport

Sport is one of the most powerful tools to foster community development. Photo: Zoomfiji

A fomer colleague recently sent me a paper that I presented many moons ago on the power of sport to change lives for the better in small and developing countries. Whilst many of the examples in the paper, as well as some of the statistics, are dated - the hypothesis remains exactly the same today. That is - that sport remains one of the most powerful tools to foster community development in developing countries (indeed in all countries).

You can read the paper here to see my thoughts on the role of sport in developing communities and how I believe it should be used more in international aid programs to foster stronger communities. The paper was written on the basis of my experiences in the Pacific Islands and East Timor.

I recently read a piece by Australia's Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Julie Bishop, arguing for a stronger sporting diplomacy program under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can read the Deputy Leader's piece by clicking here. I completely agree and I wish there was a great impetus amongst international donor countries to use sport to develop communities in developing countries around the world.

I'm very interest in the thoughts of others on this matter.

Samoa Rugby Union High Performance Facility Open for Business

The Prime Minister of Samoa opens the new SRU High Performance and Administration facilities

On Friday 19 August 2011, the Samoa Rugby Union High Performance Facility was opened by the Prime Minister and President of the Samoa Rugby Union, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and IRB Council Member, Peter McGrath. The Press Release on the opening can be found here.

It was a grand occasion and a cause for great celebration in a country where Rugby World Cup fever has gripped the nation since their stunning win over the Wallabies last month. The opening has further mobilised a country which genuinely believes it has the team to rock the foundations of Rugby World Cup which kicks off next month in New Zealand.

Here are some photos of the new facility, and the opening, with thanks to IRB High Performance Manager Peter Horne who, thankfully, is a much better High Performance Manager than he is a photographer!

Enjoy.

One of two accommodation dorms which will provide accommodation for 90 athletes

It wouldn't be a Samoan celebration without a feast

The new Gymnasium and accommodation block

One of two ice baths that have been installed

The National Sevens team pose in front of the new facility

IRB Council Member, Peter McGrath

Samoa's New High Performance Rugby Facility to open next week

The SRU has started moving into the new gymnasium

Gymnasium and Accommodation Block

The hallway of the accommodation block

We are now in August and the Manu Samoa Rugby World Cup preparation camp starts this week as the final countdown to New Zealand 2011 starts. With the taste of Wallaby blood now just a pleasant aftertaste, the Manu Samoa's gaze is now fixed firmly on the main prize - and what better way to prepare than in a brand new High Performance Facility.

Meeting Room

Ice Baths have been set up in two recovery centres

The administration facility is complete and the gymnasium and accommodation block will be completed this week - with the SRU moving into the new facility over the next week. The formal opening of the facility will be on 13 August and by this time, the gym and administration facility will be fully operational.

Some late changes to the accommodation block - such as the inclusion of a recreation room and study, has pushed back the completion of the accommodation facility by a couple of weeks.

Samoan rugby is riding a wave of optimism now and the opening of the new High Performance facility next week will be a great celebration that will further mobilise a proud rugby nation ahead of Rugby's showpiece event.

Inside the sacred space of the Fijian Dressing Room

Many kids grow up dreaming of being selected in a National sporting team and one of the most sacred spaces of any sporting teams, particularly Rugby teams, is the Dressing Room.

Every dressing room is different but no matter what level you play at - be it for the National team or your local 4th grade side - those minutes in the shed before running onto the field can be the most intense of times.

I remember when I first heard the singing coming from the sheds of the Fijian National team several years ago. Impossibly melodic and sung with the skill of a church choir, I couldn't believe it was being sung by 22 men about to take to the rugby field of a Test match. This is a tradition amongst the Fijian Rugby team and it is sung before each Test match.

It's too good not to share and the Fijian Team were great this year in allowing our photographer extraordinaire, Bruce Southwick, into the sheds to film what I think is something special - check out all the big units wiping the tears at the end of the song. Bruce has added some images of the Fijian team at this years IRB Pacific Nations Cup to put this little compilation together. Enjoy.

This is Rugby Country: Day 6

Location: Nadi Town
Time: 1.30pm

School's out and I found these 'Kaji' rugby players practicing their kicking skills. Is the next Nicky Little amongst them?

This is Rugby country: Day 4

 Location: TD Naciqa Park, Nadi
Time: 12.00pm

It's not the state of the pitch that keeps them away. Yesterday this park was heaving with local rugby. Give a kid some open space in Fiji and you give them a stage.

Sunday in Fiji = no rugby. Sunday is for Church and family.

This is Rugby Country: Day 3

Location: Lautoka
Time: 11.30am

This little fella was watching his dad play in the local competition. Whilst all eyes were on the Test Match just around the corner at Churchill Park later in the afternoon between Tonga and Fiji, local rugby continued normal services and the park around Lautoka were humming with rugby and netball.

You wouldn't have got the ball off this little kid with a crow bar.

We're in Rugby Country Day 2

Location: Nadi District School
Time: 3.05pm

This is a group of Indo-fijian and indigenous Fijian kids learning the basics of Rugby. Coach Michael is encouraging more indo-fijian kids to get involved in rugby and the results are promising. You drive through any village in Fiji around this time and you will see this same scene playing out ad nauseum - together with Netball and Volleyball. Great to watch

An outsider's guide to Tongan and Fijian rivalry (with thanks to Wikipedia)

So this weekend Fiji and Tonga will take on each other in their first round match of the 2011 IRB Pacific Nations Cup. Everyone knows that the Pacific Island rugby rivalry is amongst the fiercest in the world - and the opening match between Fiji and Tonga is one of the biggest. But Rugby is only a modern stage for a ferocious rivarly that is centuries old - and so, with apologies to our Tongan and Fijian friends who have a much greater command of their respective histories, I will try to present an abbreviated history of this great rivalry (with thanks to Wikipedia).

In the 10th Century, the Tu'i Tonga empire was established in Tonga, and included many of what are now Fijian Islands. Indeed, this Tongan influence is what is believed to have brought many Polynesian customs, languages and traditions into Fiji. In fact there remains a strong Tongan influence in Lau Group of islands (in the east of Fiji) and in particular Vanua Balavu. Although the kingdom began to decline by the 13th Century there remained a strong Tongan presence in the eastern island group of Fiji.

In the 1850's King George 1 of Tonga sent Tongan Chief Enele Ma'afu, whom he deemed a potential rival to his throne, to Fiji to organise and lead the Tongans there, under growing concerns that the Tongans in Fiji were becoming lawless and increasingly troublesome. Ma'afu based himself in Lakeba in the Lau islands where he supressed a number of religious wars and provided protection for the people of Lakeba from 'the oppressors of Bau and Somosomo'.

Ratu Seru Cakabau

Ma'afu quickly became one of the most powerful chiefs in Northern Fiji and was considered a threat to Fijian King Cakabau who feared a Tongan takeover of Fiji. In 1858, Cakabau made an offer to cede Fiji to the British Empire, in an attempt to stifle Ma'afu's expanding influence, but this was declined by the British.

Cakabau and Ma'afu duelled in a brutal struggle for power until 1871, when, extraordinarily, Ma'afu (whom by now had been declared the King of Lau) ceded to Cakabau as the King of Fiji. Ma'afu later played a leading role in the cession of Fiji to the United Kingdom in 1874, which was once again driven by King Cakabau.

It was in this period that the fierce rivalry between Fiji and Tonga was borne. Needless to say, there are thousands of stories and interpretations of this intriguing period of Fijian and Tongan history - depending on where you are sitting around the kava bowl.

Interpretations aside, one thing is certain, the battles forged in the 1800's have left an indellible mark on both countries. Today, the weapons have been put down - and replaced by rugby boots. So if you think the big hits that will be executed tomorrow are simply about Rugby....you are wrong.

We're in Rugby Country for the 2011 PNC

I was driving in from the airport in Nausori (Suva) yesterday upon my arrival in Fiji to be greeted by this sign:

The 2011 PNC is back in Rugby country

Fiji is indeed Rugby country - as is Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Cook Islands and many other Pacific Island countries. There aren't many other countries in the world that follow Rugby as passionately as these.

So what I thought I would do during our stay in this great Rugby country for the 2011 Pacific Nations Cup, is take a photo of a uniquely Fijian Rugby scene each day during our stay - and share it with the Rugby community.

This is day 1. Enjoy.

A fly on the wall of the Samoa Rugby Union High Performance Program

The temporary Gym at Alafua

Samoa's locally-based RWC squad undergo conditioning training

Ahead of the Manu Samoa Pacific Nations Cup opener against Japan in Tokyo this weekend, let's take a look at the High Performance Program that produced the 2009/10 IRB Sevens World Series Champions and which is fine tuning the Manu Samoa team for the PNC, the test against the Wallabies, and of course Rugby World Cup.

The SRU High Performance Program was launched in 2006 with funding from the IRB Strategic Investment Initiative. The IRB's Strategic Investment Initiative (SII) is aimed at improving the competitiveness of world rugby through High Performance Programs, international competitions (such as the Pacific Nations Cup and the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup) and governance programs. In the Oceania region, Strategic Initiative funding is primarily directed towards Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Funding from the SII is derived from Rugby World Cup profits.

Samoa's Licensed Training Centre is located on the Alafua Campus of the University of the South Pacific (USP). In July it will move to its permanent home in Tuanaimato (refer to earlier posts). The temporary facility comprises a gym, offices, athlete accommodation and meeting rooms.

The SRU High Performance program services the SRU Scholarship athletes and all national teams including the Manu Samoa, men's and women's sevens teams, National U19 and National U20 teams and the Samoa A side which competes in the Pacific Rugby Cup. The scholarship recipients are broken up into 3 tiers:

Tier 1 (25 scholarships): elite players

Tier 2 (20 scholarships): Men's sevens

Tier 2 (20 scholarships) Women's sevens

Tier 3 (22 scholarships): U20 players.

Above and below, the SRU Gym at Alafua

The Program employs a number of fulltime staff including a High Performance Manager and other admin staff, the National team Head Coach, Academy coach, Strength and conditioning staff, video analyst, national elite referee manager and sports medicine staff.

Depending on the stage of the training cycle (and the assembly of national teams), scholarship athletes will train twice a day and all scholarship recipients are required to either be studying or working. An agreement with the University of the South Pacific delivers a world class athlete welfare program comprising 10 modules including basic computer literacy training and english language courses - all designed to prepare athletes for a professional rugby career and a life after rugby.

Despite the progress that the SRU Program has made in recent years (all but one of the victorious 2009/10 Sevens World Series team were products of the SRU HP Academy) there remain a number of challenges. Monitoring the vast number of overseas-based athletes remains difficult especially in the lead-up to international competitions such as the PNC, RWC and the Northern Hemisphere Tour in November. With the assistance of the IRB, the SRU is trialling some new software developed by an Australian company called Kinetic to address this problem. The Union has also commenced a visit program whereby the National Trainer, National Coach and the physiotherapist travel to the UK and France each year to meet with the players (and equally importantly, the clubs) to outline their plans for the international season, ascertain where the player is at physically and talk to the club about rehab and S&C programs tailored to the needs of the player. It is hoped that this more collaborative approach with the clubs will provide a better outcome for all parties. Certainly the indications for PNC and Rugby World Cup are promising - the SRU recently announcing a very strong squad for the PNC and RWC.

Samoa Rugby's new Training and admin Centre is nearly finished

Last week we completed the Samoa Rugby Union High Performance Review. As part of the visit we checked out the nearly completed Capital Infrastructure project - an IRB funded Gymnasium, accommodation block and Administration facility which will enhance Samoa Rugby's impressive High Performance Program. Here are some photos and videos:

A pituresque settings for a great rugby facility

The SRU staff will start moving into their new HQ at the end of the month

SRU staff checking the plans to see who got the biggest office

Inside the new administration block

The Gymnasium (bottom floor) and accommodation (top floor) block, will be completed in less than a month

The new SRU HP Gym is huge - National Trainer, David Edgar, is a happy man

Dorm style accommodation will house National team camps and visiting teams from overseas

A Birds-eye view of the Fiji Rugby Union High Performance Program



The FRU's Suva Centre of Excellence - under the watchful eye of Greg Mumm (left) and National Trainer Naca Cawanibuka




The FRU have assembled the pick of the players from the PRC to train in an extended RWC squad - these are the locally-based players that are being targeted for Rugby World Cup

 The Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) High Performance Program has undergone remarkable change over the past 12 months and has positioned itself nicely to ensure that the Flying Fijians will surely be the best prepared Fijian team for any Rugby World Cup when it travels to New Zealand to take on the World's best in what is arguably the toughest pool at RWC2011.

The Annual High Performance Review was undertaken last week over two days in Suva, Fiji. The review is undertaken jointly by the International Rugby Board and the Fiji Rugby Union. Comprising a desktop review and site visits to the Licensed Training Centres, the review looks at over 100 different aspects of the Union's High Performance Program with a view to identifying weaknesses and ensuring that the program is well positioned to produce and assist in preparing world class athletes.

The FRU High Performance Program services all national teams including the Flying Fijians, the world famous Fiji Sevens team, National U20's (which will be competing at this month's World Championship in Italy), the Fiji Warriors (Fiji's A team which competes in the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup) and women's Sevens. It also is responsible for servicing Fiji's Academy program which offers three levels of scholarships to over 70 athletes and referees. The scholarships allow the best locally-based players, and those considered to be future Flying Fijians and Fijian Sevens representatives, with an opportunity to train on fulltime scholarships.

The FRU runs two 'Centres of Excellence' - one each on the east (Suva)  and west (Nadi) coast of the main island (Viti Levu). In addition to the two Centres of Excellence, the Union has established three 'satellite training centres' in Lautoka, Sigatoka and Nausori. Two more satellite centres will be opened in 2012. All training centres are staffed by fulltime managers and IRB accredited strength and conditioning coaches. All Scholarship athletes train at one of these centres when they are not assembled at one of the Centres of Excellence. This structure ensures that all players train under the supervision of appropriately qualified coaches in periodised training programs prepared by the National trainer and Academy coaches throughout the year. This system addresses one of the biggest challenges of Fiji's High Performance Program - that of providing a supervised Daily Training Environment for all it's players spread across a geographically diverse and dispersed country.

The FRU's locally-based RWC Extended squad in skills training

The FRU's Centre of Excellence in Suva provides a High Performance Training Environment for all HP Athletes as well as provincial representative players

The FRU Sports Science/Sports Medicine program is the jewel in the crown of the FRU HP Program. Managed by the SSSM Commission, which comprises the creme de la creme of Fiji's SSSM fraternity, including physiotherapists, orthopaedic surgeons, nutritionists and a sports psychologist, the FRU SSSM Program provides free and comprehensive SSSM services to all athletes within the FRU's HP Program.
The FRU has six referees on scholarship within their Academy. Significant improvements have been made in Fiji's referee program in recent years. Two referees, James Boliabu and Napolioni Locoloco were appointed to the 2010/11 HSBC Sevens World Series and Locoloco became the first Fijian to officiate the final of an international IRB tournament when he took charge of the final of the 2010 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy.

Newly formed partnerships with the Canterbury Crusaders and Saracens are providing access to some of the best high performance environments in World Rugby for the pick of Fiji's locally-based players. In all, four of Fiji's best locally-based players, as selected from the recently completed IRB Pacific Rugby Cup, are completing scholarships at the Crusaders and Saracens in a bid to fine-tune their skills and give them the best possible chance of selection in the Flying Fijians for the Pacific Nations Cup and ultimately Rugby World Cup.

The FRU has recruited aggressively for coaches for Rugby World Cup - bringing back Shannon Fraser and Greg Mumm who were so instrumental in Fiji's 2007 RWC success. However this time they have had much longer to work with National coach Sam Domoni to prepare the team. With Fiji's European stars starting to arrive back, and the best of the locally based players in a closely monitored program, Fiji is well placed for yet another successful RWC.

Tonga's High Performance Program in full swing

The Annual Review of the Tonga Rugby Union Authority (TRUA) High Performance program took place in Nuku'alofa this week. The review is conducted by the IRB and the TRUA over 2 days and looks at all aspects of the TRUA High Performance program. In all over 100 separate aspects of the Program across four key areas (Management & Governance, Infrastructure & Daily Training Environment, Sports Science & Sports Medicine and International Competition & Support) are critiqued and assessed to identify weaknesses and find solutions that will enhance the program.

The findings of the review are pleasing. There are 26 male scholarship holders in the TRUA Academy in addition to six women and one referee. In addition to the Scholarship program, the TRUA HP Program is also responsible for preparing all international teams including the Ikale Tahi (National Team), Tonga A (which competes in the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup), Men's and Women's Sevens and U20's (who depart shortly for the IRB Junior World Championship). An expansion of the Program will be possible when more staff are employed.

Tonga's U20 team get their dead lift technique down pat 

Tonga's U20's on plyometrics

The Academy squad trains five days week with one or two sessions per day depending on the stage of their training cycle. Most of these boys are aiming for a professional contract. All of them aspire to don the famous Ikale Tahi jumper. Some of them have already represented their country in Sevens and/or fifteens.

There are six women in the Tonga Rugby Union's Academy program 

Academy coach Siua Taumalolo guides his charges

The Gym session starts at 6.00am

The HP Program is staffed by a full time academy coach, technical advisor and trainer. National Coach, Isitolo Maka is also a fulltime employee of the TRUA. Sports Science and Sports Medicine is a major challenge to the program (there is only 1 physiotherapist in the whole of Tonga) and this is something that the IRB and the TRUA are working on resolving. At present the program relies on physios from Australia and New Zealand.

However, whilst there will always be challenges in running a HP Program in a small economy like Tonga, the TRUA is delivering a world class program. All High Performance coaches are IRB Accredited and they are also trained in Video Analysis (the Union use the Verusco VA system) and the matches of all National Teams are coded and reviewed. 

All players are assessed against skill and conditioning benchmarks that have been established with the assistance of the Australian and New Zealand Rugby Unions. 

The Tonga Rugby Union Academy in the Licensed Training Centre Gym

The Tonga Rugby Union gymnasium isn't an oil painting...

...but it has all the necessary equipment to produce World Class athletes

A rigourous competition schedule has been established ahead of the opening match of Rugby World Cup where Tonga will open the world's biggest sporting event in 2011 against the All Blacks. In all, 22 matches for Tonga and Tonga A will have been played in the 12 months leading into Rugby World Cup. With the calibre of players that are returning from Europe, Australia, Japan and New Zealand as well as the significant improvements that the local players have been making through the Academy program and the Tonga A program, Tonga are going to thrill spectators at RWC.

Tonga will next compete in the Churchill Cup in June ahead of the IRB Pacific Nations Cup in Fiji in July. They have a two test series against Fiji in August before heading of to Rugby World Cup.

Latest Photos of Samoa's High Performance Facility

Front of the Administration Building

Top floor going on the gym and accommodation block

Administration Block

Walls of the accommodation block (top floor) going up

The Samoa Rugby Union's new purpose built High Performance facility is nearing completion. The Administration block, which will house the main administration as well as the Development and High Performance Units, is at lock-up stage and will be completed in June.

Work on the second story of the Gymnasium and Administration block has now commenced. Work on the roof structure will commence this week and completion in July remains on track. With Samoa's international players starting to head back home in preparation for the Pacific Nations Cup and Rugby World Cup, all is on schedule for the facility to be fully operational in time for the Manu Samoa Rugby World Cup preparation camp in August.

In the meantime, training continues in earnest at the High Performance Unit which is presently based at the University of the South Pacific.