Island nations have little to thank New Zealand for in cup year

By LINDSAY KNIGHT

Fiji, Samoa and Tonga opened their World Cup campaigns over the weekend, with a little help from their New Zealand rivals.

Samoa met the Divisional XV in Pukekohe on Saturday and today Tonga meet New Zealand Maori at Albany.

But even allowing for those two games, and one or two others, there should be a twinge of conscience among New Zealand officials, over the level of assistance.

None of the three Pacific countries will play the All Blacks this year. Yet in 1996 the New Zealand union made an undertaking that one of the three countries would play the All Blacks each year on a rota system.

But after Manu Samoa played the All Blacks at Napier in 1996 and Fiji met them at Albany in 1997 that - apart from the odd year - has never been properly applied. The All Blacks have yet to play in Samoa or Tonga and their few games in Fiji have never had official test status.

In World Cup year one thing the three Pacific nations do have is Kiwi coaches well grounded in New Zealand rugby culture: John Boe leads Samoa, Fiji have Mac McCallion and Tonga Jim Love.

While they have limited resources and plenty of obstacles to overcome Boe, McCallion and Love are upbeat about both their cup preparations and their chances.

Fiji's main problem appears to be the recovery from injury of their world class wings Rupeni Caucaunibuca, now that his availability has been confirmed, and Marika Vunibaka, plus Blues lock Vula Maimuri.

On the positive side Aisea Tuilevu, another Super 12 wing, has returned for the first time since 1998 and Fiji do have an extensive buildup including a three-match tour of Australia from June 15-19.

McCallion's charges will face the Brumbies and the Reds, and have a two-match series with Tonga in July, a three-match tour of New Zealand in August - including a match against Canterbury - and then a four-match tour of South America with a test against Argentina.

Fiji are in the same pool as France, Scotland, the United States and Japan and have a comfortable playing span of 20 days.

Later this month Samoa are also in Australia to play the Waratahs and the Reds, then after a test in Apia against Ireland they have a four-match tour of South Africa playing Currie Cup provinces. In August they play Auckland and Northland just before the NPC kicks off.

"These are hard games but we welcome them," Boe said. "Because we now come from all over the world we need as much competition as we can get."

A plus for Samoa has been the addition of former Brumbies and Waratah flanker Des Tuiavi'i. Hurricanes wing Lome Fa'atau is the one current Super 12 player but there are plenty of others with New Zealand experience, including Semo Sititi, Steven So'oialo ( brother of All Black Rodney), Earl Va'a and the veteran wing Brian Lima who is vying for his fourth consecutive World Cup.

Samoa are in a tough pool featuring heavyweights South Africa and Australia but their schedule is reasonable.

Love shares Italian coach John Kirwan's criticism of the tight draw, particularly as Tonga, having qualified through the repechages, have drawn a solid pool containing the All Blacks, Wales, Canada and Italy.

Former Hurricane lock Inoke Afeaki captains Tonga and the Ngauamo brothers, Milton, a lock, and John, a midfield back have considerable experience.

Such is the depth of Love's squad that current Chiefs, Tevita Taumoepeau and Aleki Lutui, have missed out.

Tonga meet the Divisional XV in Napier this weekend, then go to Australia to face the Reds and the Brumbies, host Ireland in Tonga and have a home-and-away series with Fiji.