D'Arcy Waldegrave: It's a shame for the fans in Tonga

This week the Moana Pasifika Super Rugby Pacific franchise conceded that their round 9 fixture against the Chiefs will not take place in the Kingdom of Tonga. Short of a last-minute significant sponsorship deal, the game will be played in either Pukekohe or Rotorua. This will be the second time in as many years that the Auckland based team will be unable to ply their trade on the friendly islands. 

This is wretched news for the fans in Tonga. To have a Super game in their backyard would be a sporting highlight for the populace, to be denied again is heartbreaking for the team (according to CEO Debbie Sorenson) and for the rugby mad fans across the archipelago, all 170 islands....or the 40-odd inhabited ones at least. 

Emotionally difficult, but fiscally impossible. Even if they could extract 600 k of sponsorship blood out of the stone of our embattled economy, it would be irresponsible to use that money to spend 80 minutes playing rugby in front of 10,000 people. It makes no sense. And it wouldn’t make any dollars either. 

The $600 k is based on the cost of the broadcast; a figure Sky TV won’t assist with. Really? That much? Look at the NPC, they film that on a potato, surely they could drastically reduce costs, shoot an inferior product for the good of the people of Tonga.   

Playing there is a wonderfully romantic notion, and I commend Manu Pasifika for having a crack, but the reality is that that trip to Nuku’alofa is a nice to have, nothing more, nothing less - and that’s the long and short of it. Manu Pasifika may represent the islands, but with a Pasifika population in Auckland of 400, 000, this where the focus of the club should be.  

Tamaki Makaurau is the hotbed of Pacific rugby talent. This city is where the eyeballs are, where the crowd numbers should be and where their success will be built.  

Sure, as an aspirational exercise for the kids of the Kingdom – you've got to see it to be it – it would be a significant exercise, but beyond the moth filled pockets of Moana Pasifika.  

I’m under the impression that the king of Tonga is worth a few sheckles, maybe hit him up to cover the costs? 

Regardless, it’s not going to happen soon, if it should happen at all. 

That’ll do. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk SEDB.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Sad story this week, my new pacifica super Rugby Pacific
franchise has conceded that their Round nine fixture against the
Chiefs will not take place in the Kingdom mcdongah sort
of a last minute significant sponsorship deal. The game will
be played in either Poki Koi or Altarua. This will
be the second time in as many years that the

(00:33):
Auckland based team will be unable to apply their trade
and the friendly islands. This is richard news for the
fans and Donga to have a super game in their
backyard will be a sporting highlight for the Populace. To
be denied again is heartbreaking for the team. According to
the CEO Debbie Sorenson, it's also heartbreaking for the rugby

(00:54):
man fans across the archipelago or one hundred and seventy
islands way or the forty inhabited ones. At least, it's
emotionally difficult but physically impossible. Fiscally, you can't do it.
Even if they could extract six hundred thousand bucks of
sponsorship blood out of the stone of our batter economy.

(01:16):
It will be irresponsible to use that money to spend
eighty minutes playing rugby in front of ten thousand people
just makes no sense. Wouldn't make any dollars either. The
six hundred k is based on the cost of the
broadcast to figure that Sky TV won't assist with really
that much. I mean, look at the NPC and look

(01:38):
at some of the sales NBL and they filmed that
on a potato. Surely they could drastically reduce costs shoot
an inferior product for the good of the people of
Donner Like playing there as a wonderfully romantic notion, and
I commend to Mono Pacificer for having a crack, But
the reality is that that trip to nookof a lower

(01:58):
is a nice to have, nothing more, nothing less, And
that's the long and the short of it. Monal Pacificer
may represent the gardens, but with the pacifica population in
Awklord of what four hundred thousand, this is where the
focus of the club should be. Thomiki Makodo is the
hotbed of Pacific rugby talent. The city is where the

(02:18):
eyeballs are, where the crowd numbers should be and where
their success will be built. Sure, as an aspirational exercise
for the kids of the kingdom, we've got to see
it to be it right. It would be a significant exercise,
but it's completely beyond the moth filled pockets of minor pussyficer. Hey, look,

(02:40):
I'm under the impression that the King of Thongo is
worth a few shekels. Maybe him up to cover the cost.
I don't know. Regardless, it's not going to happen soon,
if it should happen at all, And that'll do.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
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