- AUCKLAND, New Zealand: Flamboyant passes thrown by players with no sense of self preservation and also capable of bone-shuddering tackles, the unique rugby talents of Samoa, Fiji and Tonga show the Pacific island nations share more than just an ocean.
But despite the increasing proliferation of their players in European leagues and the Super 15 to improve depth and standards, none of the three nations have gone beyond the World Cup quarterfinals in the six previous editions — and they look unlikely to even get that far this time.
Fiji captain Deacon Manu, however, doesn’t believe the Pacific Islanders need to necessarily forgo the flair to take the next step.
He says that style is “the strength of Pacific rugby.”