Cornered Kiwis may turn to Pasifika

New Zealand is not used to losing in rugby. But this time, their game plan might be flawed.

The Crusaders celebrate after winning Super Rugby Aotearoa on Sunday Picture: Getty Images

Quietly, behind the scenes, players of Pacific Island heritage in Australia and New Zealand have been asked about their eligibility for a Kiwi-based Pasifika Super Rugby team in 2021.

And there has even been devious approaches from Kiwis to the Western Force about playing in a New Zealand domestic tournament.

New Zealand Rugby have painted themselves in a corner after announcing plans for their Super Rugby competition that invited “expressions of interest” from Australian teams, making clear only two would be considered due to their lack of competitiveness.

“We’ve got to do whatever we can to get competitive teams against our teams,” All Blacks coach Ian Foster told New Zealand’s Newshub a fortnight ago.

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“We‘re pretty secure in our five so once they (Australia) get their number, I guess we sit around and have a conversation.

“It‘s got to be competitive, it’s got to be financially viable.

“We‘ve seen in the past (with Super Rugby) that if you let in teams that actually can’t survive, then you’ve got to keep changing the competition around.”

To the surprise of the Kiwis and frankly most Aussies, Rugby Australia did not budge. RA chairman Hamish McLennan and interim chief Rob Clarke have made it clear it’s five Australian teams in a trans-Tasman competition, or they’ll snub the Kiwis and form their own domestic tournament. New Zealand hasn’t contacted them since.

RA has business to sort out and is rightly pressuring their counterparts for an answer. Now, it appears the Kiwis are scrambling for an alternative to the Aussies’ preferred trans-Tasman model. But in doing so, they’re betraying the key tenets of their initial proposal, which is to field eight competitive teams and not water down the quality of their Super squads.

A rushed together Pasifika team, comprised largely of off-contract or unsigned Islander players, is hardly going to challenge the Crusaders next year.

There are reports two overseas teams may be interested in aligning with NZ’s tournament.

If that doesn’t transpire the Kiwis would be forced to water down their Super squads by adding regional teams that compete in the ITM Cup.

When New Zealand made their bold eight-team announcement, South African rugby boss Jurie Roux was caught off guard.

“If anybody kicked anyone out of Super Rugby, it was New Zealand kicking themselves out,” Roux said.

Perhaps the Kiwis made their big move and then expected Australia — desperate for a broadcast deal – to fall into line.

That won’t happen.

If the Kiwis come back, tail between legs, it will be the greatest takedown since George Gregan’s 1994 tackle on Jeff Wilson.