Schedule Set for IRB Pacific Rugby Cup

[Burgs]

Schedule Set for IRB Pacific Rugby Cup

Rugbyenews
Thu 5 Feb 2009

The match schedule has been announced for the Pacific Islands’ premier player development competition.
The 2009 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup 2009 will feature two regional teams from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, and kicks off on April 24.

“The IRB Pacific Rugby Cup has played a significant part in the development of the Game in the Pacific Islands over the past three years,” said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.
“It has grown to become a major focal point for the three participating Unions, generating excellent attendances, providing competitive matches while maintaining a strong emphasis on the identification and preparation of locally-based players for the Test arena.
“The tournament is a key element of the IRB’s four-year £48 million global strategic investment programme aimed at driving global playing standards and has provided the opportunity for over 200 players in the Islands to gain exposure to a high-intensity representative tournament that bridges the gap between club Rugby and the ANZ IRB Pacific Nations Cup.”

The opening weekend sees 2006 champions Savai’i Samoa facing Tau’uta Reds of Tonga in Apia and the all-Fijian affair between the Barbarians and the Warriors in Sigatoka on April 24.

Defending champions Tautahi Gold, the first non-Samoan side to win the competition, start their title defence against Upolu Samoa in Nuku'alofa the following day in a repeat of the 2008 final, which the Tongans edged 11-3.

Four further rounds will follow before the top two teams in the standings compete in the Grand Final on the weekend of May 30-31.

Match Schedule -

Round 1, April 24-25 : Savai'i Samoa v Tau'uta Reds, Apia Park; Fiji Barbarians v Fiji Warriors, Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka; Tautahi Gold v Upolu Samoa , Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa.

Round 2 , May 1-2: Upolu Samoa v Tau’uta Reds, Apia Park; Fiji Barbarians v Savai’i Samoa, Churchill Park, Lautoka; Tautahi Gold v Fiji Warriors, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku’alofa.

Round 3, May 8-9: Upolu Samoa v Fiji Barbarians, Apia Park; Fiji Warriors v Savai'i Samoa , Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka; Tautahi Gold v Tau'uta Reds, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku’alofa.

Round 4 , May 15-16: Fiji Warriors v Upolu Samoa , Churchill Park, Lautoka; Tau'uta Reds v Fiji Barbarians, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa; Savai'i Samoa v Tautahi Gold, Prince Edward Park, Iva.

Round 5 , May 22-23: Savai'i Samoa v Upolu Samoa , Apia Park; Fiji Barbarians v Tautahi Gold, Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka; Tau'uta Reds v Fiji Warriors, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa.

FINAL, May 30-31: Venue and kick off time to be confirmed.

[The InnFORCEr]

Any of our islander friends care to try and tell us what the different "teams" are? I don't see Manu Samoa so I assume that is the National team? What do the others mean??

[beige]

2 teams each from Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. Like you, I don't know what the teams actually mean though...

[Burgs]

This is the regional comp that precedes the Pacific Nations that Aus A have pulled out of.
Basically a competitive selection trial with plenty of regional pride at stake.

[beige]

Do you know if there is any geographical significance to the names, Burgs?

[AndyS]

I don't know about the others, but Savai'i and Upolu are the two main islands of Samoa.

[Burgs]

Had a look Beige, but apart from Andy's observation, there appears no real pattern for Fiji.
The Fijian Squads are selected equally from local teams so there is no allignment there.

Tonga:

Tonga have 4 main Rugby Playing Island, Vava’u which produce players like ‘Epeli Taione, Ha’apai which produce players like Jonah Lomu, Eua which produce the Vunipola Family 8 brothers which all played for the National Teams and Tongatapu the major Island in the Tonga Island Groups.

The home of the Tautahi Gold is the combination of Ha’apai, ‘Eua and half of Tongatapu the Town District. It was important to the Union to make a home for the 2 teams to provide a pathway for our players into our National Team. (So I assume Tau’uta accounts for the rest; ie half of Tongatapu the Town District, Vava’u and the other 30 odd inhabited islands)

Tautahi is the Name given to our traditional Navy army. Tonga is well known in the Pacific for there navigational skills in the early days where they almost build an empire in the Pacific by concurring part of Samoa and Fiji including Wallis and Futuna before they become colonized by France. The reason behind using the Gold is the colors of the Sun were Tongans use the skies as their navigational campus.

Tau’uta is the proud name that we call our land worriers which mainly fought the war in uniting the Tonga Island to be one Kingdom. The major drive for the move to unite the Tonga Island is the spreading of Christianity. Tau’uta fought many battles and finally Unite Tonga into one Kingdom which has never been Colonised by any foreign Country most properly the only one in the Pacific. Red represents the color of blood and the sacrifice that our saviou made on the cross for all man kind.

[Burgs]

Had a look Beige, but apart from Andy's observation, there appears no real pattern for Fiji.
The Fijian Squads are selected equally from local teams so there is no allignment there.

Tonga:

Tonga have 4 main Rugby Playing Island, Vava’u which produce players like ‘Epeli Taione, Ha’apai which produce players like Jonah Lomu, Eua which produce the Vunipola Family 8 brothers which all played for the National Teams and Tongatapu the major Island in the Tonga Island Groups.

The home of the Tautahi Gold is the combination of Ha’apai, ‘Eua and half of Tongatapu the Town District. It was important to the Union to make a home for the 2 teams to provide a pathway for our players into our National Team. (So I assume Tau’uta accounts for the rest; ie half of Tongatapu the Town District, Vava’u and the other 30 odd inhabited islands)

Tautahi is the Name given to our traditional Navy army. Tonga is well known in the Pacific for there navigational skills in the early days where they almost build an empire in the Pacific by concurring part of Samoa and Fiji including Wallis and Futuna before they become colonized by France. The reason behind using the Gold is the colors of the Sun were Tongans use the skies as their navigational campus.

Tau’uta is the proud name that we call our land worriers which mainly fought the war in uniting the Tonga Island to be one Kingdom. The major drive for the move to unite the Tonga Island is the spreading of Christianity. Tau’uta fought many battles and finally Unite Tonga into one Kingdom which has never been Colonised by any foreign Country most properly the only one in the Pacific. Red represents the color of blood and the sacrifice that our saviou made on the cross for all man kind.