YET another story of a Pacific Island rugby player in distress in Europe has emerged in recent days, leading to sympathisers organising a fundraising campaign to help cover his medical treatment and cost of living. The group didn’t realise how many Islanders there were playing in Europe until they organised a meeting in Perpignan. It is estimated that there are over 600 players of Pacific Island heritage in the European leagues, most of them in France, and most are playing in the lower divisions. While there have been efforts by World Rugby to educate, the problems being heard in Europe appear to suggest that more needs to be done. Ensuring that these countries receive a percentage of the away match revenue against tier 1 countries should be the first step towards giving some stability to Pacific Island rugby.

Source: New Strait Times December 23, 2017 15:00 UTC