Prime Ministers back Pacific Island Super 12 hopes

10.30am

Pacific Islands rugby has taken a huge leap forward in its bid to enter the Super 12 after gaining government support on both sides of the Tasman.

The Australian newspaper reported yesterday that Prime Minister John Howard's government was set to throw its weight behind the concept.

And New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark confirmed she would also back island rugby at the Pacific Forum in Samoa in 10 days' time.

"I'm happy to discuss the issue of Pacific representation in the Super 12 or whatever its successor may be with other leaders at the upcoming forum and convey the general feeling of those discussions to the NZRU," she told the Dominion newspaper.

"As chair of the Pacific Island forum for the past year, I have advocated for greater recognition and support of Pacific rugby to both the IRB and the NZRU."

The issue was for rugby's governing bodies to resolve, but the Government's stance was clear.

"Nonetheless, we recognise the significance of rugby to the Pacific Island countries and believe rugby has an important role to play in those countries."

The political support is a massive boost to the Pacific Island Rugby Association's push to gain a foot in Sanzar's door.

The rugby unions of Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga have struggled to survive financially since the game went professional.

The Super 12 is being reviewed as Sanzar looks at what it will offer broadcaster News Corp from 2006.

Sanzar has said an expansion of the Super 12 to a 14-team competition would only be through extra teams from South Africa and Australia.

The island nations see a dedicated Pacific Island Super 12 team as a cash cow that could support the sport and stop the poaching of players from New Zealand and Australia.

Clark said the New Zealand and Australian rugby unions should do all they could to foster rugby in the Pacific.

An Australian Rugby Union spokesman confirmed there was an open dialogue with Howard's office, but stressed any initiatives would have to be raised at Sanzar board level.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Chris Moller, also the chief executive of Sanzar, was unaware of either government supporting "such a specific proposal".

Moller suggested the governments may not be aware of the logistics of including another team in the Super 12.

"I presume the government will be able to change the number of weeks in the year to make it possible for extra teams to get into the competition."

Moller said the Pacific islands' hopes lay with the IRB.

The NZRU had championed the islands' cause at Sanzar and IRB level.

"It's important in all this for the Pacific islands to determine what they want to do."

- NZPA