Fiji coach Inoke Male has slammed England, France, Australia and New Zealand for "poaching" youngsters from the Pacific Island nations.
Male comments come in the wake of England naming New Zealand-born Saracens prop Mako Vunipola, the son of former Tongan international Fe'ao Vunipola, in their squad for the November internationals where he will join Manu Tuilagi, whose elder brothers have played for Samoa.
"There are several players not available to us for this tour because they want to play for other countries," Male told the Times ahead of Fiji's clash with England at Twickenham on November 10.
"Young players now want to pursue options for other countries rather than coming on tour which is not a good sign.
"We have got a lot of problems caused by European countries, especially France and England, who have taken some of our players through their academies when they were young.
"England and France have got a lot of players to pick from already and, as a small country, for our players to be poached from us is not acceptable.
"There is one very talented player we wanted to select who went to an English academy and he is now 16-years-old and has opted to play for England.
"It is very obvious what is happening. If you go to the secondary school championships you will see scouts from Australia, New Zealand and England trying to find your players who want to go overseas. They are taking our young players like vultures.
"I will not tell you the specific players but I know of players who get invited to the UK when they are 14," added the Fiji coach.
"Now as 17-year-olds they are opting to play for England. That means everybody here who is young wants to play for England.
"As a good player that's what they choose and we respect that but it is mainly because of the money. That's what happened when boys are given the option. We need the IRB to stop this rule or change it."
Comments
Ramage says...
Im splitting my sides laughing about this article and the responses it is getting. Now some of the people who post there views on here about NZ poaching all these players, based on the total fabrications written by Stephen Jones in the Times, might understand why we get a little bit irked.
Parents move countries, and take their children with them or have them in the new country. Those children grow up in that country, are schooled and learn their rugby there. These children are and always will be citizens of that country whether they are born there or arrive there as young children. That also applies to NZers who travel to other parts of the world. Some of those players move in their teens and grow up in the new country so have the right to play for that country.
There are the two other areas. The first is an adult player who decides to move overseas to play in another country and qualifies to play for that country because of family ties or residency. Whether we like this or not those are the rules at present and if that is what the player wishes then if we dont like it stiff. They are not breaking any rules and most of us live in democratic societies where freedom of movement is important to the well being of our democracy. I personally would like to see that some kind of fee is paid to the Country taking that player to the Country of origin to be distributed pro rata to the Unions and Franchises that developed that player.
The one area where Male does have a point and which does need attention is the scouting for academies especially where these players are young and their families vulnerable through, either, poverty or the wish to see their son have opportunities not available in their own country. Some taskforce needs to look at this area and see that the rules are tightened and once again an appropriate fee is paid to the country of origin.
Posted 01:41 27th October 2012
startledwombat says...
>in non-democratic dictatorial Fiji
yes, the elephant in the room here is that playing for Fiji would possibly be more attractive if the country was a place to be proud of.
Posted 01:39 27th October 2012
jmanngod says...
..But as has been proven time and time again. NZ does not Poach anyone, In fact it is the Islands that poach NZ players: FACT! The 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation NZers of Island descent owe no allegiance to their ancestors countries. The young children that come with their parents seeking work and education in NZ owe no allegiance to their former countries. England, France, Australia...YES, they ARE poaching.
Posted 23:57 26th October 2012
jonesrp says...
Well done sharkscage..you are born in Afghanistan but your parents move to another country to avoid the family being blown up. Unfortunately you then cannot play sport for the country you spend the rest of your life in...
Posted 23:38 26th October 2012
tha_mai says...
PR, really, enough of this troll-inviting garbage. Yet another invitation for the same old posts/posters.
And based on what - a raving looney it appears. Give us specific examples and names. Given NZ's non-relationship with Fiji and their reluctance to even grant holiday visas to Fijians (remember RWC last year?) - again - names please! Do some research to back your headline.
If people move country - surely up to them. Does he want people removed by force from their new homes? Play for Fiji, or else! Though in non-democratic dictatorial Fiji that may be the case.
Posted 23:33 26th October 2012
stumpy says...
To slate England for poaching pacific island teams is ridiculous. I don't know about Vunipola, but Tuilagi was raised in England so he has a right to play for England if he wants.
He does bring up a valid point about the residency rule though. I think 4 years is barely any time at all to consider urself proud of that nation. It makes the international stage a glorified club game! I would change the residency rule to 10 years. This way, you really can consider urself part of that country.
Posted 23:32 26th October 2012
Melkiwi says...
@ sharkscage that's just stupid then if everyone was made to play for the country of birth cause then you'll see guys like o'gara play for America cause that's where he was born etc. Samoa would be the team most hurt cause half are nz born.
Of the current nz team Ben franks is the ONLY NON NZ born player so they'll still be on top and if my memory serves me right nz have always been a rugby powerhouse long before the immigration of Polynesians to nz.
Posted 23:04 26th October 2012
jaycee_111 says...
Here's a fact. I know of an English public school that approached a Tongan friend of mine to get them a player from Tonga to play for their school. The boy would of course get a free English public school education in return for playing. Poaching or helping a kid get a start in life? They obviously have not done this for the English rugby team I would suggest.
Posted 22:51 26th October 2012
NHsaints says...
I think this article has more than a little bias against England...he directed the comments at lots of countries and England (moreso than the others) have not taken any players of fijian heritage into the EPS. More importantly for you though Male is that players don't want to play for free for an island dictatorship when they can play for a big nation with rights to free will upheld. Also maybe Tuilagi was influenced by the corruption of the Samoan national coaching squad, we saw in the WC review how bad it was...
Posted 22:03 26th October 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Leave it for what it is: a bit of pre match stick.
Posted 19:03 26th October 2012
APV1 says...
"... they want to play for other countries..."
"Young players now want to pursue options for other countries..."
"...have taken some of our players through their academies when they were young."
"There is one very talented player we wanted to select who went to an English academy and he is now 16-years-old and has opted to play for England."
"That means everybody here who is young wants to play for England."
"That's what happened when boys are given the option."
Let me quote that again:
"That's what happened when boys are given the option."
WHAT??!!
So, typical of a military dictatorship, you want to take away their options and force your will upon them. That's not how we want the modern world to work, sunshine. We like a bit of freedom and choice. Remarkable though it may be, but some people prefer democracy over dictatorship. Weird, huh?!
I'll accept his comments when there are free and fair elections in his country. Until then I shan't.
@ Planet Rugby Editorial Team - why the inflammatory headline? Why pin it all on England - which you know will wake the trolls - when the article isn't just about England? I suspect you like to chuck in the bait and watch everyone argue. The "vultures" quote was about 3 countries and he was complaining about all European countries, as well as Aus and NZ. You headline is unnecessarily provocative. This is a rugby site, please let it remain so by not baiting the trolls. Thank you.
Posted 17:11 26th October 2012
melkdave says...
Not annother nutter comming out with rubbish.How can someone whos lived here for 14 yrs since he was 7 be regarded as being poached from Fiji or anywhere else..Its a fact of life that people move around the world for work and the oppotunity to provide a better future fr their children..Is it really Englands or NZ,Australias or any countries fault .That they happen to offer those oppotunities to people .He along with other myopic people need to grasp the realities of modern life People are always going to try a fufill their dreams of a better life for themselves and family,The IRB recognised this and at least put in some structure to stop it being a utter mess.IE either a recognised blood tie or long term residancy though maybe 3 yrs now needs to be 5 yrs,.I dought the Vunipolo brothers have ever been to Fiji for any meanifull length of time in their lives,Have lived here most of their life ect ,so why would they want or have any asperations to play for Fiji at all.The same goes for other children of PI ancestry brought up in different countries and cultures..How about all the irish and italians in the USA or greeks in OZ ,im pretty sure they regard themselves as citazens of the USA or Australia and not of Ireland ,Italy or Greece, accept in a cultural way .The same goes for children brought up in different countries from their ancestral one.
Posted 15:54 26th October 2012
sharkscage says...
It's about time that all players should be made to play for the country of their birth, just because you have lived in another country for 4 years doesn't change where you are born.
Lets see which international team then comes out on top ? NZ, Aus both take players from the Islands who aren't born in their countries, England are fast becoming a team of non english born players.
Make it very simple, where you are born is the team you play for ?
Posted 15:15 26th October 2012
TVaddict says...
What utter paranoid garbage he is spewing. Maybe the fact the country is run by an illegal dictator might make the people feel less patriotic? A country where there are restrictions on public gatherings and speech, with censorship of the media and no democratic elections. Yeah, he's definitely a trustworthy source. Jeez, people talk about sorting out the grassroots for rugby, well go sort out the grassroots for your country!
Posted 14:22 26th October 2012
andy1000 says...
So who are these Fijians that are playing for England etc? Not sure these comments are based in much fact.
Posted 14:10 26th October 2012