The Fiji national rugby union team competes every four years at the Rugby World Cup, and their best performances were the 1987 and 2007 tournaments when they defeated Argentina and Wales respectively to reach the quarterfinals. Fiji also regularly plays test matches during the June and November test windows. Fiji also plays in the Pacific Tri-Nations, and has won the most Pacific Tri-Nations Championships of the three participating teams.
The Tonga Rugby Union is the governing body of the sport of rugby union in Tonga. They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) along with Fiji and Samoa. There is a rugby union playing population of less than 800 out of a total population of 100,000.
The Pacific Tri-Nations was the traditional rugby union series between Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. It was established in 1982 with the Samoan team, then known as Western Samoa, winning the tournament. In 2006 it was replaced by the IRB Pacific 5 Nations which was then renamed the Pacific Nations Cup.
The World Rugby Pacific Challenge, formerly the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup, is an annual rugby union football tournament held in Oceania since 2006. It is contested by national 'A' teams from the Asia-Pacific region. The tournament is run by World Rugby through Oceania Rugby.
Rugby union in Samoa is the country's most popular sport. The national teams in both the standard 15-man game and rugby sevens are consistently competitive against teams from vastly more populous nations.
Rugby union is the national sport of Tonga. Tonga are considered to be a tier 2 rugby nation by the International Rugby Board.
Tevita Vaikona is a Tongan professional rugby league and rugby union footballer, a winger who played rugby league and picked up many honours before switching codes to rugby union. In 2002, Vaikona was voted best rugby league winger in the world.
Aleki Lutui in Tofoa, Tonga, is a Tongan rugby union international player. His position is hooker. He is currently playing club rugby for Ampthill in National League 1.
Inoke Afeaki is a Tongan rugby union footballer. His usual position is at lock. He is currently the Technical Director at the Singapore Rugby Union.
Viliami Vaki is a Tongan rugby union footballer. He represented Tonga at the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. From 2003 to 2005 he played for Gran Rugby in Italy, then moved to USA Perpignan in the Top 14. He currently plays for Reggio in the Top12.
Soane Tonga'uiha is a Tongan-born, New Zealand-educated, rugby union player. He plays for Ampthill and internationally for Tonga. His position of choice is loose-head prop, although he sometimes plays at tight-head. He is known for his large size and fierce runs.
Salesi Finau is a Tongan former rugby footballer. He represented Tonga in both the rugby league and rugby union sides.
Andrew Leota is a Tongan rugby footballer who represented Tonga in rugby league at the 2000 World Cup.
Sona Taumalolo is a Tongan born New Zealand-based rugby union player who plays for FC Grenoble in the French Top 14. He is also a Tongan international. His position of choice is loose-head prop, and he is known for his aggressive style of play both in ball carrying and tackling.
The 1997 Tonga rugby union tour of Africa was a series of matches played in May and June 1997 in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa by Tonga national rugby union team.
The 1997 Tonga rugby union tour of Great Britain was a series of matches played in October and November 1997 in Scotland, Wales and England Great Britain by Tonga national rugby union team.
Mathieu Raynal is a professional rugby union referee who represents the French Rugby Federation. He officiates at the highest level in the Top 14, European club rugby, and is on the World Rugby referee panel.
Simana "Joe" Mafileo is a Tongan former rugby union player. He played as centre.
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