Luck of the draw plays a part. If we had New Caledonia in our pool rather than Samoa, we wouldn't be having this conversation so much.
OFC is basically in 3 tiers.
1. New Zealand
2. Fiji, Vanuatu, PNG, NCL, Tahiti & the Solomons
3. Samoa, Tonga, Cooks & American Samoa
With 8 teams in 2 pools you are always going to get one of absolute bunnies from the 3rd grouping, in one of the 4 team pools. At the June Nations Cup we didn't draw a bunny (Samoa), but in WC qualifying we have.
Do think it's spin doctoring PR myth though that the OFC Nations are improving much or closing the gap on NZ. That's for the likes of the Solomons where football is the no 1 sport, let alone tiny Samoa where the rugby codes will always dominate.
Suspect the U17 Samoan girls qualifying for the U17 WC, would have been heavily dependent on their players just being physically bigger than the smaller girls from the other Island teams. Some of their opponents would have been more than a little scared going into contact, that's the brutal truth. Be interesting to see if Samoa can continue that success in the women's game up into the U20s and senior womens.
OFC is basically in 3 tiers.
1. New Zealand
2. Fiji, Vanuatu, PNG, NCL, Tahiti & the Solomons
3. Samoa, Tonga, Cooks & American Samoa
With 8 teams in 2 pools you are always going to get one of absolute bunnies from the 3rd grouping, in one of the 4 team pools. At the June Nations Cup we didn't draw a bunny (Samoa), but in WC qualifying we have.
Do think it's spin doctoring PR myth though that the OFC Nations are improving much or closing the gap on NZ. That's for the likes of the Solomons where football is the no 1 sport, let alone tiny Samoa where the rugby codes will always dominate.
Suspect the U17 Samoan girls qualifying for the U17 WC, would have been heavily dependent on their players just being physically bigger than the smaller girls from the other Island teams. Some of their opponents would have been more than a little scared going into contact, that's the brutal truth. Be interesting to see if Samoa can continue that success in the women's game up into the U20s and senior womens.