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Abstract
The last 20 years has seen a great increase in Pacific Islander migration to Australia and also a subsequent rise in the number of Australians from Pacific island backgrounds. Perhaps one of the most visible spheres where this migratory phenomenon can be witnessed is in the massive over-representation of Pacific Islanders in both rugby codes. This paper examines the effects of professionalisation and the Super Rugby expansion into a ‘non-rugby’ state and subsequent efforts of the Victorian Rugby Union (VRU) to develop ‘home-grown’ talent, namely through its Pacific Island Programme. Whilst a minority sport in Australian Rules football centric Melbourne, rugby has grown considerably over the past decade, primarily because of the influx of players, especially junior ones, from Pacific Island backgrounds. The VRU has recognised this by developing a variety of rugby programmes focusing on the outer suburbs of Melbourne (away from its traditional base in the private schools) in response to the settling patterns of Pacific Islanders and their involvement in the game. This paper considers how such focus on Pacific Islander talent facilitates pathways to elite and professional rugby opportunities and thus contributes to the creation of the rugby labour migrant.
Notes
1.CitationStewart et al., Australian Sport; and CitationGreen, “Olympic Glory or Grassroots Development.”
2.CitationVaeyens et al., “Talent Identification,” 1367.
3.CitationStewart et al., Australian Sport, 99–101. Stewart notes that Rowing was the first TIP programme to operate out of the AIS.
4. See, for example, CitationHoberman, “Sport and the Technological View of Man”; and CitationMaguire, “Human Sciences, Sport Sciences.” Both Hoberman and Maguire warn about the issues of treating the athlete like a machine and in doing so dehumanising them. This in turn leads to the acceptance of performance enhancement and exploitative techniques gear towards measurable improvement with little concern for the individual producing the performance.
5. For example, CitationWilliams and Reilly, “Editorial: Searching for the Stars,” 655–6. This entire edition of the journal of sports Sciences was dedicated to TIP and soccer, http://www.ausport.gov.au/news/ais_news/archive/2010/australias_best_football_talent_put_to_ultimate_test_at_afls_draft_combine
6. For example, in 2012, following the inclusion of women's rugby sevens at the 2016 Olympic games, the ARU conducted a TIP programme called ‘pathways to Gold’ in capital cities around Australia. Two Victorians, Saofaiga Saemo and Ellia Green (back ground of Rugby and Athletics respectively), were subsequently selected to represent Australia in 2013.
7.CitationMcDonald, Belanji and Derham, “It's in the Blood.”
8.CitationHylton, “How a Turn to Critical Race Theory,” 338.
9.CitationHorton, “Pacific Islanders in Global Rugby.”
10.CitationKanemasu and Molnar, “Pride of the People.”
11.CitationBesnier, “The Athlete's Body.”
12.CitationGrainger, Falcous and Newman, “Postcolonial Anxieties,” 269.
13.CitationTeaiwa and Mallon, “Ambivalent Kinships?” 212–3
14.CitationGrainger, “From Immigrant to Overstayer.”
15.CitationAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Census: Victorian Community Profiles.
16.CitationGeorge and Rodriguez, “Hybrid Youth Identity.”
17. Ibid, 3.
18. Informants in this paper have been given a pseudonym, year of interview, title (player, coach, organiser, etc.) and an ethnic identity (Tongan, Cook Islander, Anglo, etc.). This project was approved by the university's ethics committee.
19. See, for example, the thorough history of AFL and Melbourne by CitationStewart and Hess, More than a Game.
20.CitationVRU Annual Report, 2011, 12.
21. Ibid., 12
22. Interview with VRU development officer, 2008.
23. Interview with Alfie, 2011, coach, Samoan.
24.CitationVRU Annual Report, 2011.
25. Interview with Frank, 2011, player/community organiser, Tongan-Australian.
26.CitationSchlink, “Victoria Punches Well Above Weight.”
27. These included Super 15 players Christian Leali'ifano, Siliva Siliva, Matt Toomua, Digby Ioane, Ben Tapuai, Tetera Faulkner, John Ulugia and Talelelei Gray; 2013 seven's squad included Allan Fa'alava'au and Junior Laloifi; 2013 school boys included Fereti Saa'ga, Pat Toeta and Ah-Mu Tuimaleali'ifano.
28. In 2000 the Victorian players at super rugby or national were: David Palavi contracted to the ACT brumbies, Rob Heath to the Queensland Reds and Tamaiti Horua to the Australian U19 team.
29. Interview with Junior, 2011, community leader/player/coach, Samoan. It is interesting to note that Ioane took up a lucrative contract with Stade Francais in the French Top 14 competition in 2013, an indication that his transnational labour journey continues.
30. Interview with Bill, 2011, player/coach, Samoan-Australia.
31.http://www.vicrugby.com.au/customdata/index.cfm?fuseaction = CustomData&CategoryID = 5879
32.CitationVRU Annual Report, 2009, 43.
33.CitationVRU Annual Report, 2008.
34. Interview with Dave, 2008, VRU development officer, Anglo-Australian.
35.http://www.vicsport.asn.au/Victorian-Sport-Awards/2009-Sport-Awards/
36. Interview with Frank, 2011, player/community organiser, Tongan-Australian
37.https://www.melbournerebels.com.au/news/article/tonga-win-pacific-cup-festival
38.http://www.nobleparksc.vic.edu.au/en/Rugby-Program/Rugby-Program/
39.CitationVRU Annual Report, 2011.
40. Interview with Phil, 2011, VRU development officer, Samoan.
41. Interview with Dave, 2009, VRU development officer, Anglo-Australian. For example, in 2010, 27 of 33 players in the VRU U20 team came from Pacific Island backgrounds.
42.http://www.melbournefijirugby.com
43. Another example of how Melbourne Fiji Rugby facilitates the migrant rugby labourer is Waisea Nayacalevou, who played a season at the Melbourne unicorns in 2011 following which he was contracted to play in Europe with Stade Francais in 2012. Nayacalevou scored 35 tries in 2011 and, despite being in Victoria, he was able to garner enough exposure to attract the interest of the lucrative European market.
44. Interview with Malcolm, 2011, community organiser/coach, Samoan.
45. Interview with Max, 2011, organiser/coach/ex-player, Samoan.
46. Interview with Eddie, 2011, coach/ex-player, Cook Islands. For example, both Barry Faamausili and Ole Avei grew up in Melbourne and represented Australia at schoolboy or under-age levels. Both moved to the rugby markets of Sydney and Brisbane initially; however, rather than remaining in Australia chasing national representation they headed overseas in search of more lucrative opportunities. In 2013 Faamausili was contracted to Montpellier whilst Avei played for Bourdeaux.
47.CitationRodriguez and McDonald, “After the Whistle.” Furthermore, at the time of publication there are no Pacific Island rugby coaches at any of the Australian Super Rugby teams nor in the media that covers rugby.
48. Pacific islanders are still under-represented in leadership positions despite their high levels of participation.
49. Interview with Eddie, 2011, coach/ex-player, Cook Islands.
50. See, for example, CitationRodriguez and McDonald, “After the Whistle”; and CitationMcdonald, Belanji and Derham, “It's in the Blood.”
51. Interview with Max, 2011, organiser/coach/ex-player, Samoan.
52.http://www.melbournerebels.com.au/news/article/u16-victorians-excel-at-national-championships
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Brent McDonald
Brent McDonald is a lecturer in Sport Sociology in the College of Sport and Exercise Science at Victoria University.