Board gauges live TV impact

Fiji Times - Saturday, December 15, 2007 8:08 AM

THE International Rugby Board is concerned with the low crowd numbers at Pacific Nations Cup matches because of live television broadcast.

The matter was raised during a meeting between the IRB and Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Samoa and Tonga.

Fiji Rugby Union operations manager Vilikesa Rinavuaka and FRU games committee chairman Rafaele Kasibulu were part of the meeting in Sydney, Australia, last week.

While most super rugby powers rely on television coverage, it had a negative impact on Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, the meeting heard.

The Pacific Nations Cup recorded a low crowd turnout as fans stayed home and tuned into the live television coverage.

The FRU raised the matter with the IRB after recording low gate takings last year.

Under the tournament rules, host unions stand to gain 100 per cent of profits from gate takings, which was much needed for the island nations.

Rinavuaka said the IRB assured delegates the matter would be looked into before competition kicked off on June 7.

"The IRB is aware of the issues that we have with the tournament, in particular the broadcasting of the tournament. We are working together to see how we can improve on this," Rinakama said.

IRB general manager Pacific Islands Will Glenright said the Pacific Nations Cup played an important role in the development of island teams.

"It is critical for them; it is a very important part of their development because through the Pacific Nations Cup these teams are now guaranteed a set number of games against this high quality opposition," Glenright said.

"Not only is it important for the coaching staff, but I think for the players to benchmark themselves against the standard of players in the Australia A and Junior All Blacks sides.

"These guys are regular Super 14 players and many of them are Test players.

"Because of that they are really at a level that the Pacific Island players can aspire to and to be able to do that week in, week out in a high intense and competitive environment like the Pacific Nations Cup is very important."

In 2004, the IRB poured in $92-million to help Tier Two and three nations, including Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.

Rinavuaka said the IRB assured delegates it remained committed to seeing the sport grow in the region.

"The IRB is working very hard in trying to promote rugby in the islands and I think that's been seen by the performance of island teams at the Rugby World Cup," Rinavuaka said.

"Just in terms of that, the IRB is looking at a couple of companies, one of them an airline and a telecommunications company, to sponsor the regional tournaments, the Pacific Rugby Cup in particular."