The
Pacific Islanders rugby union team (usually known as just
Pacific Islanders) is an international
rugby unionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
team, started in 2004, that represents
FijiThe Fiji national rugby union team is one of the strongest national rugby union teams of the world, and the third from Oceania, even still as a second tier nation. It is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure...
,
SamoaThe national rugby union team of Samoa is called Manu Samoa . From 1924 to 1997 they were known as Western Samoa. They perform a traditional Samoan challenge called the siva tau before each game. They were formerly members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Tonga. They are...
and
TongaThe Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance - the Kailao...
. While Niue and the
Cook IslandsThe Cook Islands Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in the Cook Islands. It was founded in 1989 and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1995.The Cook Islands Rugby Union are also members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance....
are not members of the
Pacific Tri-NationsThe Pacific Tri-Nations is the traditional rugby union series between Tonga, Fiji and Western Samoa was established in 1982 with Western Samoa winning the tournament...
competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004 (but not in 2006). The team does not play at
Rugby World CupThe Rugby World Cup is the premier international rugby union competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national teams. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987, hosted by both Australia and New Zealand, and is...
s, where each of the nations represents itself but the Pacific Islanders rugby union team tours every two years.
The
Pacific Islands Rugby AllianceThe Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance was set up in 2002 as a basis of co-operation between the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga Rugby Unions. Niue and the Cook Islands are also members of the Alliance, and while not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they can and do supply members to the Pacific...
(PIRA) was formed in 2003.
The
Pacific Islanders rugby union team (usually known as just
Pacific Islanders) is an international
rugby unionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
team, started in 2004, that represents
FijiThe Fiji national rugby union team is one of the strongest national rugby union teams of the world, and the third from Oceania, even still as a second tier nation. It is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure...
,
SamoaThe national rugby union team of Samoa is called Manu Samoa . From 1924 to 1997 they were known as Western Samoa. They perform a traditional Samoan challenge called the siva tau before each game. They were formerly members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Tonga. They are...
and
TongaThe Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance - the Kailao...
. While Niue and the
Cook IslandsThe Cook Islands Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in the Cook Islands. It was founded in 1989 and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1995.The Cook Islands Rugby Union are also members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance....
are not members of the
Pacific Tri-NationsThe Pacific Tri-Nations is the traditional rugby union series between Tonga, Fiji and Western Samoa was established in 1982 with Western Samoa winning the tournament...
competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004 (but not in 2006). The team does not play at
Rugby World CupThe Rugby World Cup is the premier international rugby union competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national teams. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987, hosted by both Australia and New Zealand, and is...
s, where each of the nations represents itself but the Pacific Islanders rugby union team tours every two years.
Australia/New Zealand 2004
The
Pacific Islands Rugby AllianceThe Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance was set up in 2002 as a basis of co-operation between the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga Rugby Unions. Niue and the Cook Islands are also members of the Alliance, and while not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they can and do supply members to the Pacific...
(PIRA) was formed in 2003. The coach is appointed by the Islanders board and in turn supported by the national coaches of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Its team, the Pacific Islanders, is drawn from the best Fijian, Tongan and Samoan players, and created far more interest on their inaugural 2004 tour than any of the three nations could have hoped to individually. Despite losing every game, 14-29 vs
AustraliaThe Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
, 26-41 vs
New ZealandThe New Zealand national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, is the representative side of New Zealand in rugby union. Rugby union is regarded as the country's national sport...
and 24-38 vs
South AfricaThe South African national rugby union team are the current holders of the Rugby World Cup and the Tri-Nations Championship. They are ranked number one in the IRB World Rankings as of Monday, 14 September 2009. They were named 2008 Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards...
, they were impressive in all three tests and played full strength teams, something that rarely happens when major nations play Tonga, Fiji or Samoa. The Islanders did, however, beat a Queensland XV 48-29 at Ballymore and NSW Waratahs 68-21 at Aussie Stadium.
Celtic Nations 2006
As the individual nations were primarily concerned with qualifying for the next World Cup the Islanders did not tour again until 2006. Scheduled matches against Italy and New Zealand in June 2006 did not take place, but they undertook a Northern Hemisphere tour in late 2006 with matches against Scotland, Wales and Ireland. PIRA had ruled in July 2006 that the team selected for that year's tour to Great Britain and Ireland would consist only of players who had previously played for Fiji, Manu Samoa or Tonga. This was intended to ensure that the Pacific Islanders team serves to develop players for the island nations only. Notably, two players on the 2004 tour,
Sione LauakiSione Tuitupu Lauaki is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. His brother, Epalahame Lauaki, is a 2nd rower for Hull FC in the Engage Super League competition and also a New Zealand international.-Early Career:...
and
Sitiveni SivivatuSitiveni Waica Sivivatu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, playing on the position of a . He was largely successful in the 2005 Super 12 season playing for the Chiefs, and acquired a starting position in the All Blacks...
(the latter the Islanders' leading scorer on that tour), went on to play for the All Blacks. During that tour, they were the last opponents of at their traditional home of
Lansdowne RoadLansdowne Road was a sports stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union . It was used primarily for rugby union, but also for major association football matches and music concerts...
before its redevelopment into a modern all-seater stadium. The Pacific Islanders were beaten in all three matches.
Europe 2008
In November 2008, the team toured Europe and played Tests against
EnglandThe England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 25 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam. England also compete for the Calcutta Cup...
,
FranceThe France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship...
and
ItalyThe Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri...
. The team's manager was to be Major-General
Sitiveni RabukaMajor-General Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, MSD, OStJ, is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. He was later democratically elected Prime Minister, serving from 1992 to 1999...
, former
Prime Minister of FijiAs a former British colony, Fiji has largely adopted British political models and follows the Westminster, or Cabinet, system of government, in which the executive branch of government is responsible to the legislature. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, but must be supported, or at...
and author of two military coups in 1987. Though it began with two defeats, the tour ended with the Islanders' first ever win over European opposition, with a 17-25 victory in Italy.
Future status
There was much speculation about what role the Islanders would play in international rugby. Many hoped that they would be admitted into an expanded
Super 12The Super 14 is the largest rugby union football club championship in the southern hemisphere, consisting of four teams from Australia , five teams from New Zealand , and five teams from...
competition or perhaps the Tri Nations. These hopes were dashed for the time being when the organisers of the Super 12 and the Tri Nations, SANZAR, opted to expand the Super 14 by adding one team each in Australia and South Africa and add an extra round of fixtures to the Tri Nations without adding any new teams. As of 2006, it appears they will be like the
British and Irish LionsThe British and Irish Lions, formerly known as the British Isles and the British Lions, is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
and tour every two years. Touring once every four years would probably not generate enough revenue to transform the finances of Pacific rugby; the 2004 tour did make a modest profit, despite initial reports that the PIRA lost money.
A
Super 14The Super 14 is the largest rugby union football club championship in the southern hemisphere, consisting of four teams from Australia , five teams from New Zealand , and five teams from...
spot would provide a career path for island players so they wouldn't have to take their skills abroad. However there would need to be a clear differential between that team and one that plays international tests. It would also have to be clear that their status is lower than that of the three national sides.
If they joined the Tri Nations this might prevent the occasional player playing for
New ZealandThe New Zealand national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, is the representative side of New Zealand in rugby union. Rugby union is regarded as the country's national sport...
or
AustraliaThe Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
, but it might also prevent players playing tests for the three nations and their profiles and fixtures would decrease even further. If they played in the World Cup, the coaches of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga would become little more than provincial coaches.
Samoa quits PIRA
The Samoa Rugby Union informed fellow Alliance members Fiji and Tonga that it has decided to quit the alliance because the merged Pacific Island team had failed to produce financial benefits sought by member unions.
"
The original concept was basically to provide an opportunity (to play) every two years. There were two aims, to get revenue to help in the running of the activities of the unions (and) to provide players with the opportunity to play against tier one sides.
But the International Rugby Board (IRB) changed the schedule for the Pacific Islands team to play every four years. Every four years won't generate the revenue needed to run our rugby." says SRU Chairman,
Peter SchusterPeter K. Schuster is a renowned biophysicist, known for his work with the German Nobel Laureate Manfred Eigen in developing the quasispecies model...
.
2008 squad
| club =ENG [Harlequins]
| club =-
| club =-ENG [Worcester]
| club =-
| club =-
| club =-
| club =-
| club =-
| club =-
| club =-
| club =-ENG [Newcastle]
| club =-
(Vice-Captain) | club =-
| club =-
| club =-ENG [London Irish]
| club =-
| club =-ENG [Sale]
| club =-
| club =-
(Captain) | club =-=ENG [Saracens]
| club =-
| club =-
| club =-ENG [London Irish]
| club =-ENG [Gloucester]
| club =-
| club =-
| club =-
| club =-
| club =-=ENG [London Irish]
| club =-ENG [Saracens]
| club =-
2004
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2006
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2008
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See also
- Fiji national team
The Fiji national rugby union team is one of the strongest national rugby union teams of the world, and the third from Oceania, even still as a second tier nation. It is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure...
- Manu Samoa
The national rugby union team of Samoa is called Manu Samoa . From 1924 to 1997 they were known as Western Samoa. They perform a traditional Samoan challenge called the siva tau before each game. They were formerly members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Tonga. They are...
- Tonga national team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance - the Kailao...
- Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance
The Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance was set up in 2002 as a basis of co-operation between the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga Rugby Unions. Niue and the Cook Islands are also members of the Alliance, and while not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they can and do supply members to the Pacific...
- Niue national rugby union team
The Niue Island national rugby union team is the third tier rugby union playing nation of Niue Island. They first started playing in 1983 and have played just 10 games to date, four against the Cook Islands and three against Tahiti. Other games have been played against Fiji, New Caledonia and...
- Cook Islands national rugby union team
The Cook Islands is a third tier rugby union playing nation. They began playing international rugby in the early 1971. Thus far, the Cook Islands have not made an appearance at any of the World Cups.-History:...
- Super 14
The Super 14 is the largest rugby union football club championship in the southern hemisphere, consisting of four teams from Australia , five teams from New Zealand , and five teams from...
External links