Pacific Six Nations tournament

AUSTRALIA's next generation of rugby players are to be given even greater exposure next year, with the International Rugby Board poised to announce the creation of a $25 million Pacific Six Nations tournament.

Australia 'A' will take on the Junior All Blacks, the Test teams of Japan, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga next June and July if, as expected, the IRB signs off on the ambitious project this month.

The IRB had been pushing for a round-robin tournament but it seemed likely there would be two pools of three with the pool winners playing in the final.

There is also a proposal that the Brumbies and the Western Force for content would play some of these teams as well (in non-tournament matches) and that there would also be a link between the island teams and Japan with the two franchises in terms of up-skilling their players and coaches.

Even though all present indications are the tournament final will be fought out between Australia A and the Junior All Blacks, that outcome is not guaranteed and the ARU intends locking in a match against the Junior All Blacks outside the Pacific Six Nations series.

We want Rugby :protest: and want it now!!!

Junior All Blacks... The Small Blacks ?? :hehehe:

Now will a free to air station pick up the broadcast? Anyone wanna drop a line to thier mate at foxtel about a sponsorship deal with TWF :D

I think it's demeaning for the countries of Japan, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga to be playing what will amount to full international test matches against Australia A and NZ A . Doesn't this undermine the World Cup concept of eg Fiji vs a full strength Aust or NZ ? Didn't Samoa reach the semis of World Cup without their country origin or country of choice Samoans who were actually in the All Black team or tied up in Euro club contracts?
This anachronism (of qualifying only for your professional country base) has skewed Real Internationals away from PI countries and definitely towards Aust and NZ.
If country of birth/choice was instituted, Samoa's chances of winning the World Cup would go from possible to probable. How would Aust & NZ view this?

MB, to my knowledge the countries you mention won't have access to their full WC squads for this Comp as they will be playing in Europe or Japan Clubs so it is a level playing field.
To play a first string Wallabies or All Blacks wouldn't help either nation and would further chew into the amount of matches our players are allowed to play under the Players Accord.
In any case the ARU has withdrawn from this comp to build the APC depth first so it is really a NZ issue now.

Thanks Burgs for the update. ARU has made the right move- to consolidate our own competition.
Maybe NZ will do the same. The Tri-Nations tornament of Fiji,Tonga,Samoa has been going for some time (how long?) and is now added to by Japan. I'm wondering if the IRB has considered adding a second tier to the PI Tournament with PNG, Vanuatu, Solomons, New Caledonia ?
So much potential there untapped.
How does the IRB deal with the country of birth/choice issue for World Cup teams?