Junior All Blacks dominate landscape
The return of the Junior All Blacks to the Pacific Nations Cup tournament this year will ensure the other four teams will be fighting for second place.
The tournament – which also includes Japan, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa – kicks off this weekend with matches in Tonga and Samoa.
The Juniors, who won the first two years of the competition before being replaced by the Maori All Blacks last year, have returned this year because the New Zealand Rugby Union wants to focus on developing elite players on the All Blacks fringes.
The Juniors never lost a game when they played in the series in 2006 and 2007. They racked up 395 points while conceding 81 over the two years.
The team will again be stacked with talent, including players with previous All Black experience such as Jason Eaton, Sione Lauaki, Hosea Gear and Anthony Tuitavake.
Some of the likely All Blacks of the future including Israel Dagg, Aled de Malmanche, Lelia Masaga and Rene Ranger will also be playing.
“We have got a talented squad of established international players plus up and coming players,” said co-coach Colin Cooper after the squad was named.
“The Junior All Blacks have a proud unbeaten record in the Pacific Nations Cup and this year’s team will be keen to maintain that record,” he added.
The Wallabies second-string side, Australia A, has pulled out of the competition this year because of the economic climate, having finished second in 2007 and 2008.
Japan have finished last in the three years of the competition, scoring just two wins – both over Tonga – as they struggled to match the physicality of the other teams.
The main goal for the Pacific Island teams of Fiji, Tonga and Samoa will be beating their island neighbours, who share a fierce rivalry.
Samoa face the Junior All Blacks in Apia at the weekend in their first match, after just a week together to prepare for the tournament.
The Samoans have plenty of international experience with the 28-man squad including 14 Europe-based players, two each from Australia and New Zealand, one from the United States and nine from Samoa itself.
Tonga will host Fiji, who have been unable to beat their neighbours in their three previous clashes in the International Rugby Board (IRB) tournament.
Tongan coach Quddus Fielea said his side – ranked 14th in the world – was hopeful of winning a fourth consecutive game against their Pacific rivals.
“It would be nice to beat Fiji who are the number nine team in the IRB rankings,” Fielea told the Fiji Times.
“I believe in the history of matches between the two countries, no one has ever won four in a row.
“We have beaten Fiji for three in a row, and what a way to start our campaign if we can win again in Nuku’alofa this Saturday,” he said.
Japan have a bye in the first weekend before Fiji host the rest of the tournament between June 18 and July 3.
AFP
