The Pacific Islander in Irish Rugby: From Exotic ‘Other’ to Global Professional Colleague

Abstract

This paper explores historical and contemporary connections between Irish rugby and the Pacific Islands. Tracing these connections from the first tours to the British Isles by Fijian rugby teams in the 1960s through to the contemporary professional era, this paper seeks to elucidate the evolving perception of the Pasifika within Irish rugby. Ultimately, it is argued that key contextual shifts in global rugby and Irish society from the mid-1990s gave rise to a clear shift in the function and perception of the Pacific Islander rugby player in Europe, and specifically of Ireland. A figure who was once seen as the exotic ‘other’ became a sought-after commodity in the global rugby transfer market.