Wynne Gray: NZ support needed to put Pacific rugby back on the map

There was something very warming about the success Samoa had at the 1991 and 1995 World Cups and lots of disappointment when Fiji just missed beating France at the last tournament.

The Pacific Islands played with a verve, an energy and flair which contrasted with much of the Anglo-Saxon stodge.

Any thoughts of success had been widely dismissed by Northern Hemisphere observers, so it was wonderful to see Samoa and Co get those stiff upper-lips twitching.

However, when rugby went professional after the '95 cup, Samoa was excluded from the Super 12 - even though they had been told that they would be involved.

It has been a hard slog for them and their fellow island nations since, and without access to any consistent commercial competition Fiji, Samoa and Tonga have suffered.

With scant money to underpin domestic tournaments they have watched as their star players have taken their talents to Japan, Europe and New Zealand.

When they tried to assemble their test teams, overseas contracts bit into the players' availability.

Nations like New Zealand continued to overlook any trips to the islands. There was always an excuse and when those countries toured here they were flogged.

Look at the record. Since 1996 at home, the All Blacks have destroyed Samoa 51-10, Fiji 71-5, Samoa 71-13, Tonga 102-0, Samoa 50-6 and Fiji 68-18.

Cannon fodder. Not much use to anyone, except for the money that Fiji took home from last year's game at the Cake Tin.

The International Rugby Board earlier banned a combined islands tour because they thought it would weaken individual nations' strength.

Instead IRB chairman Vernon Pugh tried to launch a North-South charity game with the proceeds going to the Islands.

Noble idea, but wrong concept.

Southern Hemisphere players did not need an extra match at the end of their season and it did nothing for the international exposure of Pacific Island players.

But Pugh was right, something had to be done. The trouble was finding a solution.

The Pacific Islanders Rugby Alliance returned to their combined concept and convinced the IRB this month that it should play matches next year against the Sanzar nations, or make a tour of one of those countries.

Pira is set to meet this weekend to sort out an itinerary.

"The honour of playing for the Islanders, and the commercial returns," said Pira chief executive Charlie Charters, "are one of the strategies all three countries intend using to convince players of the importance of staying true to their countries of birth."

For some time there will be more questions about Pira than answers.

What competition will their players be involved in outside Pira schedules?

Will it be left to New Zealand Super 12 squads to take on more players because they will be ineligible for Australian sides?

Who will sponsor Pira? Will a share of the gate returns do enough to halt the overseas player drain?

Will Pira compete at the next World Cup or will it break up into individual nations?

However, the plight of the Pacific Islands has been ignored for too long.

Any attempt to reignite island rugby should be fostered and if their administrators believe Pira is the right concept, they deserve New Zealand's support.