Teams
The four teams competing were:
| 2017 World Rugby Pacific Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Date | 10–18 March 2017 |
| Champions | Fiji |
| Runners-up | Japan |
| Matches played | 6 |
The 2017 Pacific Challenge was the twelfth World Rugby Pacific Challenge. Four teams featured in the tournament which was hosted in Fiji. The format was a round-robin competition without additional finals play-off matches. The hosts Fiji Warriors finished the tournament undefeated to claim the title, with Junior Japan as runner-up.
In accordance with World Rugby's global law trials, which began on 1 January 2017 in the southern hemisphere, several variations to the laws of the game focused around the scrum and ruck areas were adopted for the tournament. [1]
The four teams competing were:
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | BP1 | BP2 | Pts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Fiji Warriors | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 71 | +54 | 2 | 0 | 15 | ||||
 Junior Japan | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 92 | 103 | -11 | 2 | 0 | 10 | ||||
 Tonga A | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 93 | 102 | -9 | 2 | 0 | 6 | ||||
 Samoa A | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 78 | 112 | -34 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Updated: 10 March 2017 Source: rugbyarchive.net [2] | ||||||||||||||
| 10 March 2017 | Junior Japan | 34–31 | Samoa A | ANZ Stadium, Suva | ||
| 3:30pm | Try: Tatafu (3) Iino Con: Saito (4) Pen: Saito (2) | Summary | Try: Alofipo Thomsen-Fuataga Tapili Con: Fa'apale (2) Pen: Fa'apale (4) |
| 10 March 2017 | Fiji Warriors | 38–30 | Tonga A | ANZ Stadium, Suva | ||
| 5:30pm | Try: Raiyala (2) Narumasa Voka Stewart Vularika Con: Waqatabu (4) | Summary | Try: Lolohea (2) Ika Con: Faiva (3) Pen: Faiva (3) |
| 14 March 2017 | Samoa A | 22–30 | Tonga A | ANZ Stadium, Suva | ||
| 3:30pm | Try: Tusitala Malielegaoi Penalty Try* Con: Fa'apale Pen: Fa'apale | Summary | Try: Kaumavae (2) Ika Sekona Con: Faiva Pen: Faiva |
| 14 March 2017 | Fiji Warriors | 39–16 | Junior Japan | ANZ Stadium, Suva | ||
| 5:30pm | Try: Ralulu Suguturaqa Takubu Lawaniyavi Daveta Con: Ralulu (4) Pen: Ralulu Vularika | Summary | Try: Tatafu Con: Saito Pen: Saito (3) |
| 18 March 2017 | Tonga A | 33–42 | Junior Japan | ANZ Stadium, Suva | ||
| 12:30pm | Summary |
| 18 March 2017 | Fiji Warriors | 48–25 | Samoa A | ANZ Stadium, Suva | ||
| 3:30pm | Summary |
 Fiji Warriors |
| Pacific Challenge Champion |
| 7th title |
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated in England in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends.
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league or simply league, rugby, football, or footy, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres wide and 112–122 metres long.
In rugby football, the offside rule prohibits players from gaining an advantage from being too far forward. The specifics of the rule differ between the two major codes.
A scrum is a method of restarting play in rugby football that involves players packing closely together with their heads down and attempting to gain possession of the ball. Depending on whether it is in rugby union or rugby league, the scrum is used either after an accidental infringement or when the ball has gone out of play. Scrums occur more often, and are now of greater importance, in union than in league. Starting play from the line of scrimmage in gridiron football is derived from the scrum.
In the game of rugby union, there are 15 players on each team, comprising eight forwards and seven backs. In addition, there may be up to eight replacement players "on the bench", numbered 16–23. Players are not restricted to a single position, although they generally specialise in just one or two that suit their skills and body types. Players that play multiple positions are called "utility players".
In rugby football, the penalty is the main disciplinary sanction available to the referee to penalise players who commit deliberate infringements. The team who did not commit the infringement are given possession of the ball and may either kick it towards touch, attempt a place kick at goal, or tap the ball with their foot and run it. It is also sometimes used as shorthand for penalty goal.
A line-out or lineout is a means by which, in rugby union, play is restarted after the ball has gone into touch. When the ball goes out of the field of play, the opposing team is normally awarded a line-out; the exception is after the ball is kicked into touch from a penalty kick, when the team that was awarded the penalty throws into the line-out.
Like most forms of modern football, rugby league football is played outdoors on a rectangular grass field with goals at each end that are to be attacked and defended by two opposing teams. The rules of rugby league have changed significantly over the decades since rugby football split into the league and union codes. This article details the modern form of the game and how it is generally played today, however rules do vary slightly between specific competitions.
A comparison of American football and rugby union is possible because of the games' shared origins, despite their dissimilarities.
The experimental law variations (ELVs) were a proposed set of amendments to the laws of rugby union. They were proposed by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board (IRB), and trialled games at Stellenbosch University in 2006. In 2008 thirteen of the 23 variations trialled were played globally including; greater responsibility for assistant referees, corner posts no longer considered to touch in-goal, no gain in ground if the ball is moved into the 22-metre line by a player from the same team as the kicker, quick throw ins can travel backwards, no restrictions to players in the lineout, restrictions on where receivers and opposition hookers can stand in a lineout, pregripping and lifting allowed, mauls can be pulled down and players can enter with their head and shoulders lower than their hips, offside line is five metres away from the scrum for the backs and scrum half must be positioned close to the scrum, all offences apart from foul play and offsides are a free kick, and unplayable rucks and mauls are restarted with a free kick. In 2009 the IRB approved ten of the laws, rejecting the laws relating to mauls, numbers in a lineout and the increase in sanctions punishable by free kicks.
Rugby union is a contact sport that consists of two teams of fifteen players. The objective is to obtain more points than the opposition through scoring tries or kicking goals over eighty minutes of playing time. The play is started with one team drop-kicking the ball from the halfway line towards the opposition. The rugby ball can be moved up the field by either carrying it or kicking it. However, when passing the ball it can only be thrown laterally or backward. The opposition can stop players moving up the field by tackling them. Only players carrying the ball can be tackled and once a tackle is completed the opposition can compete for the ball. Play continues until a try is scored, the ball crosses the side line or dead-ball line, or an infringement occurs. After a team scores points, the non-scoring team restarts the game at the halfway with a drop kick toward the opposition. The team with the most points at the end wins the game.
Rugby union is a team sport played between two teams of fifteen players.
This list of rugby league terms is a general glossary of the terminology used in the sport of rugby league football. The sport has accrued a considerable amount of jargon to describe aspects of the game. Many terms originate from the Laws of the Game. A number of aspects of the game have more than one term that refers to them. Different terms have become popularly used to describe an aspect of the game in different places with notable differences between the northern and southern hemispheres.
In rugby union a scrum is a means of restarting play after a minor infringement. It involves up to eight players from each team, known as the pack or forward pack, binding together in three rows and interlocking with the free opposing teams forwards. At this point the ball is fed into the gap between the two forward packs and they both compete for the ball to win possession. Teams can be penalised for intentionally causing the scrum to collapse, and for not putting the ball into the scrum correctly. A scrum is most commonly awarded when the ball is knocked forward, or passed forward, or when a ball becomes trapped in a ruck or maul. Because of the physical nature of scrums, injuries can occur, especially in the front row.
A traditional rugby union kit consists of a jersey and shorts, long rugby socks and boots with studs. The other main piece of equipment is the rugby ball.
A penalty in rugby union is the main disciplinary sanction available to the referee to penalise a team who commit deliberate infringements. The team who did not commit the infringement are given possession of the ball and they may either kick it towards touch, attempt a place kick at goal, or tap the ball with their foot and run. It is also sometimes used as shorthand for penalty goal.
Mini rugby, also known as New Image Rugby, is a form of rugby union designed to introduce the sport to children. It uses a smaller ball and pitch than standard rugby, and has eight to ten players a side.
A comparison of Canadian football and rugby union is possible because of the games' shared origins, despite their dissimilarities.
In rugby league football, the Laws of the Game are the rules governing how the sport is played. The Laws are the responsibility of the Rugby League International Federation, and cover the play, officiating, equipment and procedures of the game.
The laws of Rugby Union are defined by World Rugby and dictate how the game should be played. They are enforced by a referee, generally with the help of two assistant referees.