Tuvalu national rugby sevens team

Last updated
Tuvalu
Tuvalu Rugby Union logo.png
Union Tuvalu Rugby Union
World Cup Sevens
Appearances0

The Tuvalu national rugby sevens team (Tuvalu 7s) participates in the Rugby Sevens competitions at the Pacific Games and the Oceania Sevens Championship.

Contents

History

The Tuvalu Rugby Union (TRU) was established in 2007 as the organising body for Rugby Union in Tuvalu. [1] The TRU selects the members of the Tuvalu 7s.

Tuvalu is a lower ranking rugby nation, with the Tuvalu 7s focusing on skills development. [2] [3] The Tuvalu 7s lost all their matches at the 2011 Pacific Games, and at the 2017 Oceania Sevens Championships. [4] [5]

Elenoa Kunatuba was the Tuvalu men’s 7s coach, at the 2019 Pacific Games; she selected seven new players for the games squad. [6] [7]

In 2023, Tuvalu competed at the 2023 Oceania Sevens Championship where they finished eleventh overall. [8]

Players

Current squad

Tuvalu's squad to the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands: [9]

Players
Timoci Vidi
Mataese Dumaru
Asuelu Teniukita Falaimo
Tiliga Lomiata
Taitai Mika
Vaisameni Nafatali
Leiatu Fatiga Papa
Lofeagai Sanaila
Romeo Sovatabu
Simeon Taasi
John Jazzy Talava
Iliala Tolauapi
Jotame Levaci Sokobalavu Tupoulewa
Sileti Viliamu

Tournament History

Pacific Games

Pacific Games
YearRoundPositionPldWDL
Flag of Guam.svg 1999 Did Not Compete
Flag of Fiji.svg 2003
Flag of Samoa.svg 2007 9th Place Playoff10th5005
Flags of New Caledonia.svg 2011 11th Place Playoff12th5005
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg 2015 Did Not Compete
Flag of Samoa.svg 2019 9th Place Playoff10th5005
Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg 2023 9th Place Playoff9th4202
Total0 Titles4/7192017

Oceania Sevens

Oceania Sevens
YearRoundPositionPldWDL
2008–12Did Not Compete
Flag of Fiji.svg 2013 7th Place Playoff8th6006
2014–16Did Not Compete
Flag of Fiji.svg 2017 Pool Stage13th3003
Flag of Fiji.svg 2018 11th Place Playoff11th5203
Flag of Fiji.svg 2019 11th Place Playoff11th6204
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2021 Did Not Compete
Flag of New Zealand.svg 2022
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2023 11th Place Playoff11th5203
Total0 Titles5/15256019

References

  1. Lalua, Silafaga (10 January 2007). "Rugby Union starts up". Tuvalu-News.TV. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  2. Narain, Parvin (19 March 2018). "Tuvalu here to learn". Fiji Times. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  3. Pareti, Alipate (10 November 2023). "The tides turn for rugby 7s in Tuvalu". Islands Business. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  4. "Rugby sevens at the 2011 Pacific Games". XIVth Pacific Games. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 29 Nov 2011.
  5. "Tuvalu 7s at the 2017 Oceania Sevens Championships". Flashscore.com. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  6. "TUVALU TO DEBUT NEW FACES AT RUGBY 7S". 2019 Pacific Games. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  7. "Pioneer women's rugby coach passes on". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2025-10-12.
  8. Grey, Lachlan (2023-11-12). "Aussie women & NZ men claim Oceania 7s gold, Fiji and Samoa book tickets to Paris". www.rugby.com.au. Retrieved 2023-11-12.
  9. "2023 Pacific Games – Tuvalu Rugby Sevens Team". sol2023.gems.pro. November 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-19.

See also