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Pacifique X111

miguel de cervantes

First Grade
Messages
7,469
Report on the local news from back in Feb on the project as a whole and two of the players going to play in Townsville on a working holiday.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,420
Source: https://pacifiquetreize.com/en/2024/01/17/pacifique-treize-set-for-historic-first-tour/

Pacifique Treize, the Noumea based rugby league team which aims to provide opportunities to players from the French speaking territories in the Pacific, namely New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna and French Polynesia, are set to undertake a historic first ever tour of Australia.

Twenty-five players have been selected for an Under 17s tour of North Queensland starting in late January, where the team will play games three games in total against Mackay Cutters, Townsville Blackhawks and Northern Pride. The games will signify the first time the Pacifique Treize colours will be worn in official games, following the establishment of the entity back at the start of 2020. Players from New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Futuna will link up with Australian based players of French ancestry, along with several players from mainland France.

Pacifique Treize Director Manuel Jalabert commented “We are very happy to be able to conduct our first tour to Australia. We were severely impacted in our development and ambitions by Covid and there were times that we considered whether something like this would be possible. However despite the challenges, we are now ready to hoist the colours for the very first time and represent the French speaking Pacific territories and bring a new audience to rugby league in Queensland and Australia”.

“Our long-term ambition is to replicate what the PNG Hunters have done by being a Pacific based entity playing in the Hostplus Cup in Queensland. We hope that by undertaking this tour at U17s level that we can showcase the athletic talent we have in New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Wallis et Futuna, so that over the coming years we may be able to enter into the Queensland Statewide junior competitions (Mal Meninga and Cyril Connell Cups). We are also excited to be able to have some players from mainland France who will travel across to add valuable playing experience to the group”.

Game times and venues for the Pacifique Treize U17 tour of North Queensland:
Saturday 3rd February vs Mackay Cutters at Tiger Park, Mackay – 4:00pm AEST kick off.
Tuesday 6th February vs Townsville Blackhawks @ Jack Manski Oval, Townsville – 6:00pm kick off.
Friday 9th February vs Northern Pride @ Venue TBC, Cairns – 5:30pm kick off.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,420
Fantastic news.

honestly thought this venture was dead due to the lack of news update
We'll aim to address that moving forward.

Has been a lot of moving pieces in the background & a lot more resistance from groups we thought would be supportive getting to this point.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,420
Touring squad announced:
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,420
16 year old, Remisio Lakina, will make history this February when he becomes the first ever Rugby League player from the small pacific territory of Wallis & Futuna.

 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,420
Some more updates:


Some mentions in the local press:


The team has also been on TV & Radio in New Caledonia.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,420
Plans for a second Academy in New Caledonia

Pioneers set for adventure

French cohort set to join squad in Townsville


 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,420
More media coverage:


 
Messages
11,408
More media coverage:


Now France can play in the Pacific Nations (play it in New Caledonia and Tahiti)
 
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