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	<title>Armchair Playmaker &#187; Fiji</title>
	<atom:link href="http://armchairplaymaker.com/tag/fiji/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://armchairplaymaker.com</link>
	<description>Discussing The Best and Worst of Both Rugby Codes</description>
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		<title>Cibi Irrestible</title>
		<link>http://armchairplaymaker.com/2010/01/cibi-irrestible.html</link>
		<comments>http://armchairplaymaker.com/2010/01/cibi-irrestible.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:17:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Rugby Union]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fiji]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Zealand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Samoa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tonga]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://armchairplaymaker.com/?p=342</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In recent memory, four national rugby union sides have regularly performed a traditional war dance before their matches.  For a sort period starting this past November, though, that number was cut to three when the Flying Fijians ended their 70-year-old practice of performing their cibi (pronounced like &#8220;thimbi&#8221;) before matches.  The tradition was [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In recent memory, <a href="http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/news/newsid=2006651.html" target="_blank">four national rugby union sides</a> have regularly performed a traditional war dance before their matches.  For a sort period starting this past November, though, that number was cut to three when <a href="http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1111575&#038;lang=eng_news&#038;cate_img=145.jpg&#038;cate_rss=news_Sports" target="_blank">the Flying Fijians ended their 70-year-old practice of performing their cibi (pronounced like &#8220;thimbi&#8221;) before matches</a>.  The tradition was ended on the grounds that it was an outdated reference to Fiji&#8217;s pre-Christian past.  </p>
<p>Although <a href="http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=124497" target="_blank">some players had opted not to perform the cibi</a> even before its removal from the team&#8217;s pre-match events, the decision to scrap it was controversial and <a href="http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=136551" target="_blank">the dance has now been reinstated</a>.</p>
<p>Controversy surrounding the few teams who perform war dances before matches <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-hackles-raised-because-of-haka-1472586.html" target="_blank">has been around for decades</a>, though more often due to concern surrounding its effects on fair match play than the issues surrounding Fiji&#8217;s cibi last year.  Despite Fiji&#8217;s temporary removal of their dance, most of the dances probably won&#8217;t be going anywhere any time soon, especially given <a href="http://armchairplaymaker.com/2008/11/new-twist-on-haka.html">the popularity of the New Zealand All Blacks&#8217; haka dance</a>.</p>
<p>How do you feel about the appropriateness of the dances performed by New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga?  To help us dance in the New Year, have a look below and judge for yourself:</p>
<p>Fiji&#8217;s Cibi:<br />
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<p>New Zealand&#8217;s Haka:<br />
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tdMCAV6Yd0Y&#038;hl=en_US&#038;fs=1&#038;"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tdMCAV6Yd0Y&#038;hl=en_US&#038;fs=1&#038;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>
<p>Samoa&#8217;s Siva Tau:<br />
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1iGUWhSSW60&#038;hl=en_US&#038;fs=1&#038;"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1iGUWhSSW60&#038;hl=en_US&#038;fs=1&#038;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>
<p>Tonga&#8217;s Sipi Tau:<br />
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<p>And a video with Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga all together:<br />
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]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(Almost) Everyone&#8217;s a Winner in League World Cup (At Least Once)</title>
		<link>http://armchairplaymaker.com/2008/11/almost-everyones-winner-in-league-world.html</link>
		<comments>http://armchairplaymaker.com/2008/11/almost-everyones-winner-in-league-world.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:14:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Rugby League]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Australia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[England]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fiji]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[France]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ireland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Zealand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Papua New Guinea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Samoa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scotland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tonga]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://armchairplaymaker.com/http:/armchairplaymaker.com/2008/11/almost-everyones-a-winner-in-league-world-cup-at-least-once.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sure, Australia is a heavy favorite in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and hasn&#8217;t lost yet. While that may be grounds to call the tournament a joke, naysayers would do well to notice that every other side has been beaten at least once, and that all sides but one have won a match a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sure, <a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/11/09/sports/RGL-World-Cup-Roundup.php" target="blank">Australia is a heavy favorite in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and hasn&#8217;t lost yet</a>. While that <a href="http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/the-real-deal-or-a-standing-joke/1343263.aspx" target="blank">may be grounds to call the tournament a joke</a>, naysayers would do well to notice that every other side has been beaten at least once, and that all sides but one have won a match a well. <a href="http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=31896" target="blank">Papua New Guinea bowed out of the even at 0-3</a>, victims of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2008/oct/22/rugbyleagueworldcup2008-rugbyleague" target="blank">a tough draw in a pool that also contained the three strongest teams in the cup</a>. (That &#8220;super&#8221; pool, incidentally, also <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6607167.stm" target="blank">produces three of the four semifinalists in the somewhat controversial tournament layout</a>, with the other spot determined by a playoff between the other two pools&#8217; winners.) In the other two three-team pools, though, every single side won at least one match.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s right, each of the six teams in the two smaller pools finished 1-1. In Pool 2, <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_league/article5018039.ece" target="blank">France started things off by beating Scotland 36-18</a>. Then, <a href="http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/rugby/Rugby-League-Uphill-struggle-for.4652431.jp" target="blank">Fiji spanked France 42-6</a>. Scotland, however, <a href="http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hlAjI9Mv48hqSK2z92Q90RmuzR_g" target="blank">bounced back and edged Fiji 18-16</a>. In the end, only a favorable for-and-against scoring margin put Fiji atop the pool.</p>
<p>In Pool 3, it was more of the same. <a href="http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jlgKPxbOnoqF1bHfQUbwbKk28ADg" target="blank">Tonga got by Ireland 22-20</a>, <a href="http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/sport/samoa-downs-tonga/1349224.aspx" target="blank">Samoa beat Tonga 20-12</a>, and Ireland completed the circle of parity with a <a href="http://stmarys.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/general/shock-irish-win/1357160.aspx" target="blank">34-16 win over Samoa</a> that also put them atop the table on points difference.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t be too quick to write this tournament off as a mere formality preceding Australia&#8217;s coronation. If you do, you&#8217;ll miss a lot of good matches&#8211;like <a href="http://news.theage.com.au/sport/fiji-through-to-wc-semi-after-3014-win-20081110-5ls6.html" target="blank">Fiji&#8217;s 30-14 win over Ireland</a> in a playoff match that sees them into the semifinals along with the three top finishers in the &#8220;super&#8221; pool&#8211;and also sees them <a href="http://news.theage.com.au/sport/cashstrapped-fiji-hit-world-cup-jackpot-20081111-5mgp.html" target="blank">pick up a big payday</a>. This weekend, <a href="http://blogs.abc.net.au/grandstand/2008/11/semis-decided-f.html?site=afl" target="blank">Fiji will take on Australia in one semifinal while New Zealand plays England in the other</a>. Meanwhile, Fiji&#8217;s tries from that playoff match with Ireland are below:</p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tpgpG0mDaYE&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tpgpG0mDaYE&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"> </embed></object></p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KRpPOo6xeuA&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KRpPOo6xeuA&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object></p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XW92F8I33E0&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XW92F8I33E0&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object></p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/M96oytRZB3Y&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/M96oytRZB3Y&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object></p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AJSlaXB_vYE&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AJSlaXB_vYE&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Different Sort of Code Swap</title>
		<link>http://armchairplaymaker.com/2008/08/different-sort-of-code-swap.html</link>
		<comments>http://armchairplaymaker.com/2008/08/different-sort-of-code-swap.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:10:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Rugby League]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rugby Union]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[England]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fiji]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Great Britain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rugby League Nines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rugby Union Sevens]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://armchairplaymaker.com/http:/armchairplaymaker.com/2008/08/a-different-sort-of-code-swap.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Given Armchair Playmaker&#8217;s dual-code focus, we talk a lot about code-swapping. Usually, this means players moving back and forth between the fifteen-man rugby union code and the thirteen-man rugby league code, but recent news about Waisale Serevi is another matter. The Fijian legend, who played extensively for the Fiji rugby union side but is more [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Given Armchair Playmaker&#8217;s dual-code focus, we talk a lot about code-swapping. Usually, this means players moving back and forth between the fifteen-man rugby union code and the thirteen-man rugby league code, but recent news about <a href="http://www.waisaleserevi.com/" target="blank">Waisale Serevi</a> is another matter. The Fijian legend, who played extensively for the Fiji rugby union side but is more famous for his performances with the successful Fijian rugby union sevens side, is <a href="http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12196_4018744,00.html" target="blank">set to play in a rugby league nines tournament in the United Kingdom next Wednesday</a>. The crowd is in for a treat if he is as dazzling playing rugby league nines (a rugby league variant with nine players per side and 7.5-minute halves) as he was in rugby union sevens (a rugby union variant with seven players per side and seven-minute halves), as seen below:</p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/abY3U3hcQOU&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/abY3U3hcQOU&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MmlpRijhf6A&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MmlpRijhf6A&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
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