Discussing :: Disappointed with the performance of the Pacific Island sides in the Rugby World Cup.

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Go- Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Loved to see a Pacific Island team in the finals Stages of RWC.
I am Very Disappointed with the performance of the Pacific Island sides. A lot of players are playing at home in conditions and grounds that they are familiar with and so have a home advantage over other teams. They have not shown that advantage in the games so far and will have to produce some major Winning performances to avoid embarrassment.

I don't think you can be too hard on the Pacific Island teams. Tonga put in a solid performance against a near full strength AB lineup on the opening night. Then they fell to Canada, but backing up only five days after such a rugged match surely didn;t help, they looked tired, which I;m sure theyw ere. The Canadians were fresh, well organised, and as they showed against France alst night...can't be underestimated. So no shame on Tonga, methinks. Samoa is possibly the strongest Pacific team and they fell to Wales, who only lost to SA by one point (and should have actually won that match). But the game against Wales was close, and although they didn't get teh win it was a very close match. Fiji has always been a team of surprises and flair, they romped home against Namibia and you could hardly expect tem to beat SA.

So it's a bit harsh to be disppointed by their performance so far. They have provided colour, flavour, flair and their only failing so far has been to get across the finish line against two top teams. DON'T WRITE THEM OFF YET!!!!!!

yeah, What i always notice with the island style of playing tho is a lack of grit so once their backs are up against the wall they tend to crumble bit like the warriors of old.

They have huge amounts of flair and when they are winning or feeling positive they are very dangerous as most of them can score from anywhere on the park with a combo of miracle passes and steps/romps over and round the opposition, But then you push them get a few points over them and they start to make more and more mistakes inevitably leading to a loss.

i would guess too these bigger countries that arent really rugby players would be studying this and have worked it out by now so maybe they are getting exposed a bit more now.

Tho as said did anyone expect them to beat NZ or SA and wales is a tough ask wasnt one of the ads on before the cup about the huge suprise it was that samoa beat walws a few cups back?

Yeah I was totally disappointed with the performance of Samoa and the comments David Campese made about them all being brawn, minus the technical no how or discipline, though quietly I believe there is some truth to it and now the latest one about one of their players tweeting comments about their recovery time between games as a factor to why they lost against Wales which I thought were stupid comments to compare that to the holocaust, slavery and apartheid mate there is no comparison and what a douche thing to say. Every team has known for a while the game schedule so to blame that for a reason for losing is pretty arrogant, maybe that player should have looked at how they performed and how Wales stepped up for the challenge before pointing the finger at other reasons I did support Samoa besides the AB's but after those comments less so now....heres the article http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/5652074/Samoan-treatment-like-slavery-the-holocaust

You would have to love Ireland after beating the (They think) unbeatable Aussies. Well how about a big Oi Oi Oi for the men in green Yeh Yeh Yeh.

Very perplexed with the Samoan style v Wales- one out running from the forwards and the ball never going past 2nd five- seems like the praise went to their heads a little and they forgot the natural flair and running talents that exist thruout the team- looked more like a northern hemisphere team- wot a pity