The Fiji Rugby Union High Performance Unit has finalised the selection criteria that will be used as basis for players vying for places in the 2008 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup and Pacific Nations Cup teams.

Produced by FMF Flying Fijians head coach Ilivasi Tabua, High Performance manager Peter Murphy, national trainer Henry Elder, and the team of national selectors in Vuata Naresia, Dan Lobendahn and Mosese Taga, the 2008 FRU Selection Criteria is aimed to maintain and improve the standards set by the FMF Flying Fijians at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

“This is somewhat similar to the criteria we used to prepare for the Rugby World Cup and is similar to Super 14 standard,” Tabua said, “It proved successful for the FMF Flying Fijians at the Rugby World Cup so we’d like it to implement the same criteria and fitness standard this year but from Pacific Rugby Cup level.”

“This way, we ensure the players know and understand the standard of rugby we’d like them to be playing and even more so what they have to do to get into the Flying Fijians team.”

Murphy said the criteria would increase the National Fitness Standard and ensure Fijian players are fitter and stronger to play the kind of rugby required.

Implementing the standard for the Air Pacific Fiji Warriors and Fiji Barbarians in the Pacific Rugby Cup, Murphy said, will make sure we have a clearer road map to the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

“All the national selectors have a copy of the criteria and have been monitoring and following up on the Colonial Cup teams to ensure we field two strong and fit teams into the Pacific Rugby Cup and an even stronger and fitter Flying Fijians team in the Pacific Nations Cup,” Murphy said.

 

Fiji Rugby Union

High Performance 2008 Selection Criteria
All Players

• National Fitness Standards by position

 Pacific Rugby Cup – to be selected in either the Fiji Warriors or Fiji Barbarians players will need to reach the following fitness standard by position

• March - 80% of the National Fitness Standards by position and
• April 90%  

Pacific Nations Cup – to be selected in the Flying Fijians team, players will need to reach the following fitness standards by position

• April – 90% of the National Fitness Standards by position and
• May – 100%

• Playing a minimum of 60min of rugby for their respective clubs/ Teams each week during 2008.

• Skill based by position as well as rugby ability on a consistent bases while playing the 15teens game.

• Past high performance rugby

• Professional attitude both on and off the field

Position	40m	400m	1500m	3000m	Chin Up	Squat	Bench Press	Bridge
Prop	5.35sec	1min.05sec	6min.15sec	12min.30sec	10	210kg	155kg	<6min
Hooker	5.20sec	1min.03sec	6min.11sec	12min.22sec	10	200kg	150kg	<6min
Locks	5.25sec	1min	6min.05sec	12min.10sec	8	185kg	140kg	<5.30min
Openside	5.05sec	57sec	6min.15sec	11min.50sec	12	190kg	145kg	<5.30min
Blindside	5.08sec	58sec	6min.03sec	12min.05sec	12	195kg	147kg	<5.30min
No.8	5.10sec	58sec	6min.03sec	12min.05sec	12	195kg	147kg	<5.30min
Scrum-half	4.95sec	55sec	6min.10sec	11min.35sec	15	180kg	125kg	<5min
Flyhalf	4.95sec	57sec	6min.13s	11min.45sec	15	175kg	125kg	<5min
Centres	4.90sec	58sec	6min.03sec	12min.05sec	15	185kg	135kg	<5min
Wings	4.75sec	56sec	6min.15sec	12min.30sec	12	180kg	130kg	<5min
Fullbacks	4.80sec	58sec	6min.18sec	11min.55sec	12	180kg	130kg	<5min

Note:
The 3k run is to be conducted after the 40m sprint and the 400m.
Ideally the order should be 40m, 400m, 1500, chin up, squad, bench press and bridge.
The 40m then 3k test order can be conducted but only in the off-season.
At the commencement of the pre-season, the order should be reverted to the National in season order mentioned earlier.
There is a 15min rest between tests.


The following points must be adhered to whilst conducting tests:

• 40m sprint - standing 2x40m sprint with the first run done free and the second run with the ball in hand.
• Bench Press - Three rep max with bar travelling from start down to chest without bouncing of the chest the return to standing position without non assistance at all.
• Squad- Three rep max with top players thighs parallel to the ground (Deep Squad) and no further and controlled with no assistance from start to finish.

Notes:
1 – All fitness test results must be a maximum of 2 weeks old at the time of summiting
2 – NO Player will be allowed to compete in any trials until a full fitness test is complete by the FRU HPU National Trainer
3 – NO Player will be allowed to enter any squad (Fiji Warriors, Fiji Barbarians or Flying Fijian) until they have completed the following:
•    Introduction module
•    Full medical & physio screening
•    National Fitness Test or test results submitted by club trainer
•    Signed FRU tour agreement
4 – Current passport
5 – Law abiding citizen

PRC Rd1

Saturday 18 April	Fiji Warriors	vs	Tautahi Gold	Churchill park, Lautoka	7.00pm
	Savai'i Samoa	vs	Fiji Barbarians	Marist Stadium,  Apia	4.00pm
	Tau'uta Reds	vs	Upolu Samoa	Teufaiva, Nuku'alofa	3.00pm

PRC Rd 2

Saturday 26 April	Fiji Barbarians	vs	Upolu Samoa	National Stadium, Suva	7.00pm
	Savai'i Samoa	vs	Fiji Warriors	Prince Edward Park, Savaii	3.00pm
	Tau'uta Reds	vs	Tautahi Gold	Teufaiva, Nuku'alofa	3.00pm

PRC Rd 3

Saturday 3 May	Fiji Barbarians	vs	Tau'uta Reds	Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka	3.00pm
	Upolu Samoa	vs	Fiji Warriors	Marist Stadium,  Apia	3.00pm
	Tautahi Gold	vs	Savai'i Samoa	Teufaiva, Nuku'alofa	3.00pm

PRC Rd 4

Saturday 10 May	Upolu Samoa	vs	Savai'i Samoa	Marist Stadium,  Apia	3.00pm
	Fiji Warriors	vs	Tau'uta Reds	Prince Charles Park, Nadi	7.00pm
	Tautahi Gold	vs	Fiji Barbarians	Teufaiva, Nuku'alofa	3.00pm

PRC Rd 5

Saturday 17 May	Fiji Warriors	vs	Fiji Barbarians	Subrail Park, Labasa	3.00pm
	Upolu Samoa	vs	Tautahi Gold	Marist Stadium,  Apia	3.00pm
	Tau'uta Reds	vs	Savai'i Samoa	Teufaiva, Nuku'alofa	3.00pm

PRC Final

Saturday 24 May

1st Place Team

vs

2nd place team

TBC

Round 1	Saturday 7 June	Fiji v Samoa	Churchill Park, Lautoka (2.05pm)
		NZ Maori v Tonga	North Harbour Stadium, Albany (4.35pm)
	Sunday 8 June	Japan v Australia A	Hakata No Mori, Fukuoa (2.05pm)
Round 2	Saturday 14 June	Fiji v NZ Maori	Post Fiji Stadium, Suva (3.05pm)
		Samoa v Australia A	Apia Park, Samoa (3.05)
	Sunday 15 June	Japan v Tonga	Sendai Yurtec Stadium, Sendai (2.05pm)
Round 3	Saturday 21 June	NZ Maori v Samoa	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton (4.35pm)
	Sunday 22 June	Japan v Fiji	Tokyo (2.05pm)
		Australia A v Tonga	North Sydney Oval, Sydney (2.05pm)
Round 4	Saturday 28 June	Tonga v Samoa	Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa (1.35pm)
		NZ Maori v Japan	McLean Park, Napier (2.35pm)
	Sunday 29 June	Australia A v Fiji	Ballymore, Brisbane (2.05pm)
Round 5	Saturday 5 July	Tonga v Fiji	Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa (3.05pm)
		Samoa v Japan	Apia Park, Apia (2.35pm)
	Sunday 6 July	Australia A v NZ Maori	Sydney Football Stadium (TBC)