Do Samoa, Tonga and New Zealand have a better forward pack than the Kangaroos?
“This is probably the most balanced of the Pacific Championships we’ve had in the last three years. It’s also good for the international stage, it’s a good preparation phase towards the World Cup.”
“They’re full of strong forces on all sides, it’s hard to pick who’s on top, they’re pretty evenly matched.
“This is something the international scene has been longing for and we will finally see it happen.
“The scenes were created very well.”
So which package is the best? Statistically speaking, data provided by the NRL shows a clear match between them. They looked at all the forwards playing in international matches this weekend and when it came to players in the top 10 in terms of forward-related statistics at their position, they looked at how many forwards each country had.
When the numbers close together, the Kangaroos emerge slightly ahead of the Kiwis, with Samoa and Tonga narrowly separated.
A growing number of players qualifying for Australia have decided to represent their Pacifika roots. Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita changed the international game by pledging allegiance to Tonga eight years ago, paving the way for dozens of other NRL big bombers to follow suit.
Paulo believes this development will make next year’s Rugby League World Cup the most competitive tournament ever.
“It’s probably something the international scene has been crying out for; we’re used to seeing competition between a number of sides in this space, but now we’re seeing real four or five teams that can compete and compete well,” he said.
Loading
“It won’t be long before we see more teams starting to fill their ranks as more people want to represent their heritage. Not just on the Pacific scene but also in some European countries. It’s something I’m looking forward to seeing and I want to be a part of it over the next few years… it’s going to create great competition.”
The highlight of Sunday’s Tonga-Samoa match will be the opening exchanges as rival forwards clash during the so-called détente period. But just before this happens, another unforgettable encounter occurs where the teams stare at each other during battle cries.
“There is a war on the field and a war of battle cries between Siva Tau and Sipi Tau,” Paulo said.
“As a spectator, I’m sure it’s something they enjoy watching before the game. “The feeling that we’re moving away from that is a passion that comes before the fight.
“There’s always a line you don’t want to cross, you realize that both teams are passionate about their respective nations and heritage. When that happens, everyone tries to take a few breaths to calm their nerves.”
“The atmosphere goes to another level at this point, but it’s about being able to recover for the football you have to play for the next 80 minutes.”
