Sadly it appears the All Blacks’ appetite to play Samoa, Tonga or Fiji outside of a World Cup is at a low ebb.
New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew has confirmed the prospect of tests against any of the Pacific island nations was unlikely for the next seven years.
Tew said the calendar is obviously full and there are only certain windows when the island countries would get their best players back from Europe and elsewhere.
He added the options for timing anything extra are severely limited.
Meanwhile international test matches played this morning, France defeated Samoa 22-14, Tonga upset Scotland 21-15, Ireland beat Argentina 46-24, England lost to South Africa 15-16 and the Wallabies defeated Italy 22-19, New Zealand 33-Wales 10.
Story by: Aliki Bia
