Rugby league world cup semi-finals: 95% of Pacific players born in Aus or NZ
95% of men and 85% of women representing Pacific nations in this weekend's RLWC semi-finals were born in Australia or New Zealand.
A look at the semi-final squads shows 95% of men and 85% of women from Pacific nations were born in Australia or New Zealand. The semi-finals start this weekend in Newcastle and Sydney.
Saturday in Newcastle: New Zealand's women face Samoa, then the men face unbeaten Tonga. Sunday in Sydney: Australia's Jillaroos play Fiji, then the Kangaroos face Samoa in a rematch of the previous final.
Many players have family ties across the region and have played for other countries. Population size is no guarantee of success.
Tonga has just 105,000 people yet made the men's semi-finals, while England and France, with 59 to 66 million people, were eliminated.
- 95%
- Men from Pacific nations born in Aus or
- 85%
- Women from Pacific nations born in Aus
- 105,000
- Tonga population
- Newcastle and Sydney
- Semi-final locations
Why it mattersIt explains how migration and family connections, not population size, determine international representation in rugby league.
AustraliaAustralia hosts the semi-finals this weekend with the Kangaroos and Jillaroos both competing for national honours on home soil.
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