Pacific Cup 2006!!!!!

[carlnz]

Pool A​

Cook Islands​

Fiji​

Samoa​

​

Pool B​

NZ Maori​

Tonga​

New Caledonia​

Thursday 23rd Feb
Tonga vs New Caledonia
Fiji vs Samoa

Sunday 26th Feb
Cook Islands vs Fiji
Tonga vs NZ Maori

Thursday 2nd Mar
NZ Maori vs New Caledonia
Samoa vs Cook Islands

Sunday 5th Mar
Qualifier 6 vs Qualifier 5
Qualifier 4 vs Qualifier 3
Qualifier 2 vs Qualifier 1

http://www.nzrl.co.nz/files/pacific_rim_poster_draw.pdf

 

[roopy]

From what I saw in Coffs - NZ Maori should start favourites.

 

[Noel]

It will be tough for New Caledonia but what a great opportunity for that territory to get international experience. It would be good if an NRL club could help them out.

 

[nadera78]

Go Cooks!

Any chance of there being a full website for the comp?
Also, am still desperate to get a Cook Islands replica shirt.

 

[YANTO]

Great news.
Who is behind this?The nations themselves or the RLIF??

 

[carlnz]

Great news.
Who is behind this?The nations themselves or the RLIF??

I think it will be RLIF and NZRL. Watch out for Tonga, and if we go by the 2004 results New Caledoina are going to get 100 plus put on them.

 

[paulmac]

I dont understand why PNG and the Aust Aboriginals arent playing in this tournament.PNG need more internationals and this comp would provide them.Will the players be residents selections or full blown national sides?

 

[rlinternational]

What about American Samoa and Niue??

 

[carlnz]

American Samoa and Niue where just NZ based players last time.

Maybe money has something to do with PNG not playing?

 

[hutch]

are the samoan players locals or nz based? i thought there was no local comp in samoa?

 

[ali]

I guess PNG is better off spending their money on the structures they are currently putting in place. The semi proffessional SP Cup and schoolboys comps are more important at this stage. Especially as they don't need to qualify for the world cup.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

are the samoan players locals or nz based? i thought there was no local comp in samoa?

It will be a NZ base team with probably two or three rugby union players from Samoa to make up the numbers .

 

[BatiFan]

PW - After speaking to the Samoan RL I think you will find that the Toa Samoa side will actually be from players who played in the recent SRL competion which was held late last year. I wouldnt be surprised if you see a couple of dual internationals spring up for Samoa at this event ???

 

[BatiFan]

Paulmac -Fiji will be sending some OZ based players who represented the Bati against the Maoris in Coffs Harbour in January over, so the Fiji team will be a legitimate national side comprising of the best available players at this time of the year (thus not including NRL, Premier League, Jersey Flegg or QLD Cup players).

 

[BatiFan]

Great to see this competition going ahead and hopefully will become an annual event from now on. Not only at senior level, but also at U21 and U19 level, thus providing players from the Islands with a pathway to playing for their senior national teams.

 

[Mr_Ugly]

Let's hope some NRL teams (or player agents) consider it worth sending scouts!

 

[The Observer]

According to RLR, a South Pacific Cup will be held in Aus in October 2006 and will be the RLWC 2008 qualifying tournament. Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Cook Islands will all take part. Apparently the PI Leagues all think its the best choice to base it in Aus (due to cash).

 

[Mr_Ugly]

FNRL to select 21 strong squad

Thursday, February 09, 2006
http://fijitimes.com/story.aspx?ref=archive&id=36836


THE Fiji National Rugby League will name a 21-member Fiji Bati side to attend the Pacific Cup tournament in New Zealand next month.

Fiji Bati head coach and development officer Shane Morris said 33 local players were selected to attend a fitness session tomorrow at the Fiji College of Advance Education.

He said once the side was finalised the team would march into camp next week to prepare.

The Fiji Bati side last reached the finals of the competition in 1994 after going down to Tonga 34-11.

Morris said International Rugby League development manager Tas Baitieri had confirmed other teams for the tourney were — Mate Ma'a Tonga, New Zealand Maori, New Caledonia, Toa Samoa, Cook Islands.

This year the Fiji Bati was in the same pool with Tonga and 2004 winner Samoa.

Morris said teams were divided into two pools of three teams, where each team would have two pool games before the elimination rounds.

Morris said selectors had a fair idea of the workload for the Bati side once in camp.

"In our outing game against the NZ Maori we did not field a full strength team because we wanted to try out a few young players," he said.

"The score line was close in the game against the Maoris because of the development programs FNRL had put in place throughout the season leading up to the clash.

"With the Pacific Cup we have been pooled alongside our neighbours Samoa and Tonga.

"This will now show us where we stand in the sport but I am confident that we will go four steps up the ladder than what we did last year."

 

[Kingbunny]

Q. Does anybody know if the MTV are going to broadcast any of the games.

I'm going to try and watch the Henderson games on the 26th. That to me, seems the pick of the rounds. Hope that there will be a decent turnout at least. Every person counts !

 

[DACSSDOWN]

It is a bit late now, but an idea I had for the PI nations WC qualifiers (especially if they are to be held in Aus) was to hold them as curtain raisers to the SOO series or perhaps the Tri Nats. The idea behind this is twofold, as it would provide the opportunity for the Aus public to see what Int sides are actually competing, allowing exposure for the teams and players, with the supporters perhaps picking a "second" side to support for the world cup in 08. The second is to perhaps allow these sides to compete on the big stage, also allowing them to "rub shoulders" with the big boys, maybe attend a training session etc. If it was held before the SOO, you could perhaps allign a PI team to either state, again providing exposure to training ideas etc as well as providing an instant supporter base.I know there would be a lot of factors to work out for this to occur, but it was just a thought.