@: Home / World Cup 2007
Oceania focus on age group development
Fiji Times - Tuesday, November 27, 2007 7:58 AM
DEVELOPING age group rugby will top the agenda at the Federation of Oceania Rugby Union (FORU) meeting in Auckland, New Zealand this week
Fiji Rugby Union is among nations pushing for the introduction of age group competitions in the Oceania region to develop it young players.
FRU is represented by FRU High Performance Unit manger Peter Murphy along with Vilikesa Rinavuaka and Semi Matalau.
The meeting which includes reps from New Zealand and Australia will hold discussion on how the sport can be improved further within the next few years in the build up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Murphy said they were talking about getting in more competitions for age group level because this was important for the future.
"The last age group competition we had was in 2006 and while we have already qualified for the under-20 World Cup, we must have more matches," Murphy said.
"The matches are needed and this can be implemented into the Pacific Rugby Cup and Pacific Nations Cup.
"While there have not been any concrete decisions made, this could be finalised at this meeting."
He said youngsters needed to be involved regularly in high level of competitions because they were the key for development for minor nations.
While Fiji, Samoa and Tonga are the key Pacific members of FORU, there are other members and associate members which include the likes of Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands and Niue.
With these minor teams being part of FORU, there are talks about the possibility of having regional sevens tournaments.
"We have to look at our calendar and we would like to hold regional sevens tournaments in order to develop all the Pacific nations," Murphy said.
"Fiji is being viewed as a big brother in the Pacific so we want to give back to these smaller unions and help — these are some of the ways."
Murphy meanwhile, has tipped Digicel Fiji to do well at the opening two tournaments of the IRB Sevens World Series.
The side will play at the Dubai tournament this weekend and in the George tournament next weekend.
"We believe the young crop of players will do Fiji proud," Murphy said.
"New players will gain exposure for the future and the build up to the 2009 Sevens Rugby World Cup."
