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Wallabies star's Super Rugby concept that could force the competition into the Pacific Islands

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Brumbies and Wallabies prop Scott Sio believes a Super Rugby game in Samoa could break through the red tape constricting Pacific Island rugby.

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Sio, whose father David played for Samoa, and All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu will butt heads in Saturday’s third Bledisloe Cup clash in Sydney.

The pair have put rivalries aside as Samoan Tourism Authority ambassadors though, pushing for international borders to reopen with Australia and New Zealand into COVID-19-free Samoa.

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Bledisloe Cup III Preview | The Breakdown | Episode 40

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Bledisloe Cup III Preview | The Breakdown | Episode 40

Sio has proposed his Brumbies set the pace by heading east in a move he thinks would have terrific spin-offs for Australian rugby too.

“It’d be something very special for the Brumbies to play there against the Blues or another team with a big Pacific Islander presence,” Sio said.

“With Patty leading the Blues, Allan (Alaalatoa) the Brumbies and Matt Toomua leading the Rebels you see a lot of Pacific Islanders stepping up into roles of leadership in professional rugby.

“It’s changing the tide there and turning some stereotypes around.

“Unfortunately we (players) don’t have a lot of influence there … but the amount of support I think you’d get (in both countries) would be huge.”

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Wallabies tests against second-tier Pacific Island nations have been few and far between, Australia hosting Samoa in a World Cup warm-up match last year and only playing Fiji once outside of World Cups since Samoa famously toppled them in 2011.

This year’s scheduled clash against Fiji in Townsville was cancelled due to COVID-19 while New Zealand shut down a detailed Pasifika bid to enter their new Super Rugby offering from next year.

There have been some inroads in Australia with the Fijian Drua winning the second-tier National Rugby Championship in 2018.

That competition has now folded but there is discussion and momentum behind the inclusion of a side in Australia’s Super Rugby offering beyond next year.

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“There’s always frustration there, but there’s always a lot of moving cogs that get in the way,” Tuipulotu said.

“We can keep raising the awareness that this is something we want, but it’s almost like there’s been a lot of broken promises over the years and it’s really hard to start something.”

Sio said new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, who played one uncapped test for his mother’s native Cook Islands, was already doing his bit by introducing team hymns in camp.

“The (Wallabies) squad has so many Pacific Islanders … it’s something we probably don’t celebrate as much as we could have over the last couple of years,” he said.

“And he found the way to do that was through song; the ability to hold a harmony is similar to being on the same wavelength on the rugby field.”

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RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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