It was almost a year ago that the New Zealand All Blacks "made history when they played a test in Apia for the first time," according to Gregor Paul of the NEW ZEALAND HERALD. On Thursday "more history will be made" when Super Rugby side Chiefs clash with the Crusaders in Suva, Fiji, in what will be the first Super Rugby game played in the country. Given the "historical reluctance" of major nations to play big matches in the Pacific Islands, this is "welcome progress." But while these one-off fixtures "suggest a new era of inclusion, they do more to highlight the continued exclusion of the Pacific Islands." It is the "same old reason why" -- there is not commercial return to be had "from setting up shop in the Islands." The individual nations have "tiny populations and economies and therefore virtually no broadcast audience or corporate support." And SANZAAR's "world viability assessment seems to begin and end with the commercial rather than playing prospects of a new territory." A competition that includes the "best players from the Pacific region in one highly competitive team has surely got greater value to broadcasters than one that has a huge geographic footprint but maybe only three or four potential winners?" (NZ HERALD, 6/29).
