World Rugby Pacific Challenge

Last updated

World Rugby Pacific Challenge
Current season or competition:
Rugby football current event.svg 2024 World Rugby Pacific Challenge
World Rugby Pacific Challenge logo.png
Sport Rugby union football
Instituted2006
Number of teams4
CountryFlag of Fiji.svg  Fiji
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa
Flag of Tonga.svg  Tonga
Holders Fiji Warriors (2023)
Most titles Fiji Warriors (10 titles)
Related competition 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 (formed from the best locally based players, with most not already on their nations' senior rugby team) from the Asia-Pacific region. The tournament is run by World Rugby (previously IRB) through Oceania Rugby.

Contents

The Fiji Warriors (in white) taking on 2006 champions Savaii Samoa (navy blue) in 2007 Savaii.jpg
The Fiji Warriors (in white) taking on 2006 champions Savaii Samoa (navy blue) in 2007

The original IRB Pacific Rugby Cup featured two teams from each of the three Pacific Island countries of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. The competition followed the completion of Fiji's Colonial Cup, Samoa's National Provincial Championship and Tonga's Provincial Championship and provided player development pathway leading into the IRB Pacific Nations Cup.

Since 2011, the tournament has been contested by national 'A' sides, although some matches also featured teams from Super Rugby academies in Australia and New Zealand. Teams from Japan, Argentina and Canada have also joined the tournament to compete with the three Pacific Island countries.

Teams

The competing national 'A' teams as of the 2018 season were:

Overall

Summary of all Pacific Challenge winners and runners-up, for tournaments up to and including 2020:

By team

TeamTournament
wins		Runner-up
placings		Seasons
contested
Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors 10316
Flag of Argentina.svg Pampas XV 202
Flag of Samoa.svg Upolu Samoa 125
Flag of Tonga.svg Tautahi Gold 105
Flag of Samoa.svg Savaii Samoa 105
Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa A 0511
Flag of Japan.svg Junior Japan 139
Flag of Tonga.svg Tau'uta Reds 016
Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Barbarians 015
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Qld Reds A 011
Total161616

By country

CountryTournament
wins		Runner-up
placings		Seasons
contested
Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji 10416
Flag of Samoa.svg Samoa 2716
Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina 202
Flag of Japan.svg Japan 139
Flag of Tonga.svg Tonga 1116
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia 011
Total161616

History

Pacific Island tournament: 2006 to 2010

Logo 2006-2014 Pacific Rugby Cup logo.png
Logo 2006–2014

The Pacific Rugby Cup initially featured six representative teams, two from each Pacific Island country:

Fijian teams:  
Samoan teams:  
Tongan teams:  

The format was a single round-robin tournament with the top-placed team hosting a final against the second-placed to decide the title. The Fiji Warriors won the competition twice, the Samoan teams won the Cup once each, and Tautahi Gold also claimed the title once for Tonga. [1]

Pacific Australasian series: 2011 to 2014

From 2011, the three Pacific Island countries were represented by their national 'A' teams. They were joined by Japan's national 'A' team, Junior Japan, as the fourth core team in 2013. The itinerary included tour matches against Super Rugby academy opposition from Australia and New Zealand and included the following sides: [A] [B]

Pacific Cup teams:  
Australian teams:  
New Zealand teams:  

The tournament was split into three stages with the core Pacific Cup teams playing Super Rugby academies in the first two stages in Australia and New Zealand, respectively. [2] In the third stage, the Pacific Cup teams played each other in a single round robin, home or away, to decide the title. [C] No finals were played and the team finishing on top of the combined table after all stages was the tournament winner. [3] The Fiji Warriors won all three tournaments from 2011 to 2013. [4] [5] [6]

The format was expanded again in 2014 with Argentina's Pampas XV and four Australian academy teams joining the competition as core teams competing with the Pacific A sides. [7] The New Zealand development teams did not participate in 2014 and the tournament was held entirely in Australia. Two pools were formed as follows:

Pool A:  
Pool B:  

A single round robin was played in each pool with the top ranked sides from each playing in the final. The Pampas XV defeated Reds A in the final held in Sydney to win the title. Fiji Warriors defeated Samoa A in the play-off for third place. [8]

Pacific Challenge: 2015 onward

The Pacific Rugby Cup was restyled as the "Pacific Challenge" in 2015 and held in Fiji. It returned to a being a tournament solely for national 'A' teams, with Canada A replacing the Australian academy teams.

The Pampas XV won again in 2015 but were replaced by Junior Japan for the following season. The Fiji Warriors won the next four tournaments at home before their dominance was broken by Junior Japan defeating them at Suva to take the 2020 Pacific Challenge title. [9]

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament returned to Apia Park, Samoa in 2023. [10]

Notes
A Japan A, Force A, Rebel Rising, and the Brisbane and Sydney Academies joined in 2013.
B The Blues and Highlanders development teams featured in 2012 and 2013.
C The Pacific stage was cancelled in 2013 to allow Fiji, Samoa and Tonga to maximise preparations for the end-of-year tours. [11]

Winners

Year# of
Teams		Final Venue
WinnerScoreRunner-up
2006 6 Flag of Samoa.svg Savaii Samoa 10–5 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors Marist Grounds, Apia
2007 6 Flag of Samoa.svg Upolu Samoa 35–15 Flag of Tonga.svg Tau'uta Reds Teufaiva Stadium, Nukuʻalofa
2008 6 Flag of Tonga.svg Tautahi Gold 11–3 Flag of Samoa.svg Upolu Samoa Apia Park, Apia
2009 6 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors 19–7 Flag of Samoa.svg Upolu Samoa Apia Park, Apia
2010 6 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors 26–17 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Barbarians National Stadium, Suva
2011 3 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors round
robin		Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa A various
2012 3 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors round
robin		Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa A various
2013 4 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors round
robin		Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa A various
2014 9 Flag of Argentina.svg Pampas XV 36–21 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Queensland A TG Millner Field, Sydney
2015 6 Flag of Argentina.svg Pampas XV 17–9 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors National Stadium, Suva
2016 4 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors 36–0Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa A National Stadium, Suva
2017 4 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors round
robin		Flag of Japan.svg  Junior Japan National Stadium, Suva
2018 4 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors round
robin		Flag of Japan.svg  Junior Japan National Stadium, Suva
2019 4 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors round
robin		Flag of Japan.svg  Junior Japan National Stadium, Suva
2020 4Flag of Japan.svg  Junior Japan round
robin		 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors National Stadium, Suva
Not contested 2021–2022
2023 4 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors round
robin		Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa A Apia Park, Apia
2024 4Flag of Japan.svg  Junior Japan round
robin		 Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Warriors Apia Park, Apia

Tournaments

Teams listed are those that qualified for the Pacific Rugby Cup final matches (for seasons without a final, the core teams are shown). Results of the final matches are written so that the score of the team in each row is mentioned first.

Legend
Pacific Rugby Cup winner.Pos = Log Position, P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Diff = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, BP = Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points, Refs = References
†Grand Final winner.

Pacific Challenge: 2015 to 2020

Contested by the national 'A' teams of Fiji, Japan, Samoa, and Tonga. Canada A along with Argentina's Pampas XV also competed in 2015. [12]

Pacific Rugby Challenge winner and runner-up
YearDurationPosTeamPool matchesPlay-offsRefs
PldWDLFADiffTBLBPtsFinal
2020 6 March
to
14 March		1 Junior Japan 330014325+1182014– [13]
2 Fiji Warriors 32018826+622010–
2019 8 March
to
16 March		1 Fiji Warriors 330017054+1163015– [14]
2 Junior Japan 32019497−33011–
2018 9 March
to
17 March		1 Fiji Warriors 330011831+873015– [15]
2 Junior Japan 3201777702010–
2017 10 March
to
18 March		1 Fiji Warriors 330012571+542015– [16]
2 Junior Japan 320192103−112010–
2016 8 March
to
21 March		1 Fiji Warriors †330013434+100301536–0 [17]
2 Samoa A 32019856+4220100–36
2015 10 March
to
23 March		1A Pampas XV †33008942+47201417–9 [18]
1B Fiji Warriors 320114542+10321119–17

Pacific Australasian series: 2011 to 2014

Contested by the national 'A' teams of Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. Japan A joined as a core team in 2013. The core teams played against Super Rugby academy opposition from Australia and New Zealand before meeting each other in a single round robin to decide the title. [2] No finals were played and team finishing on top of the table after all matches were completed was the tournament winner. [3]

In 2014, Argentina's Pampas XV and four Australian Academy sides were added as core teams. Two pools were formed and a single round robin played in each. The top ranked sides in each pool played off in the final for the title and the second ranked teams played off for third place.

2011–2014 Pacific Rugby Cup finalists. [lower-greek 1]
YearDurationPosTeamPool matchesPlay-offsRefs
PldWDLFADiffTBLBPtsFinal
2014 21 February
to
23 March		1B Pampas XV †44001488365301936–21 [7] [8]
1A Reds A 32011265571211121–36
2A Fiji Warriors 320115459952111 54–21  [lower-greek 2]
2B Tonga A 420296115-19109 21–54  [lower-greek 2]
2013 1 March
to
7 April		1 Fiji Warriors 6222118155-372014  – [lower-greek 1] [6]
2 Samoa A 6204134198-641110–
3 Junior Japan 6006140361-221303–
4 Tonga A 600673306-233000–
2012 24 February
to
19 October		1 Fiji Warriors 8701205165403031  – [lower-greek 1] [5]
2 Samoa A 8305191238-470113–
3 Tonga A 811672253-181006–
2011 19 February
to
26 March		1 Fiji Warriors 8404144201-570117  – [lower-greek 1] [4]
2 Samoa A 8305135171-361215–
3 Tonga A 8215133233-1000111–
Upolu Samoa after winning the 2007 Pacific Rugby Cup. Upolu champs.jpg
Upolu Samoa after winning the 2007 Pacific Rugby Cup.

Notes:

  1. 1 2 3 4 No finals were played from 2011 to 2013. The team finishing on top of the table after all matches were completed was the tournament winner.
  2. 1 2 Play-off for third place.

Pacific Island tournament: 2006 to 2010

For the first five seasons, the tournament was contested by six teams; two each from Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. The format consisted of a single round-robin, home or away, and the teams finishing in the first two positions on the table played in a final, hosted by the top ranked team, to decide the Pacific Rugby Cup title.

2006–2010 Pacific Rugby Cup finalists.
YearDurationPosTeamPool matchesPlay-offsRefs
PldWDLPFPADiffBPPtsFinal
2010 5 May
to
29 May		1 Fiji Warriors †5401155738231926–17 [19]
2 Fiji Barbarians 54011451162931917–26
2009 24 April
to
29 May		1 Upolu Samoa 540111484301177–19 [20]
2 Fiji Warriors †5302168897951719–7
2008 18 April
to
24 May		1 Upolu Samoa 54019049411173–11 [21]
2 Tautahi Gold †530297752211311–3
2007 31 March
to
5 May		1 Tau'uta Reds 5401108102611715–35 [1]
2 Upolu Samoa †5302112114−231535–15
2006 15 April
to
20 May		1 Savaii Samoa †5401120813921810–5 [1]
2 Fiji Warriors 531111272402175–10
2006–2010 Overall pool match results.
TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiffBPPoints
Fiji Warriors 25131115984281701468
Savaii Samoa 2514011521451701167
Upolu Samoa 25131114914829963
Tau'uta Reds 251211245543817858
Fiji Barbarians 2511113464592−1281258
Tautahi Gold 2510015425568−143747

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Pacific Rugby Cup". Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions. Archived from the original on 22 June 2008.
  2. 1 2 "IRB Pacific Rugby Cup 2012 – Competition Draw" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  3. 1 2 "International Rugby Board – IRB Pacific Rugby Cup 2012 set for kick off". Irb.com. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  4. 1 2 "2011 Pacific Rugby Cup Fixtures and Results". Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions. 2011. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.
  5. 1 2 "2012 Pacific Rugby Cup Fixtures and Results". Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions. 2012. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015.
  6. 1 2 "2013 Pacific Rugby Cup Fixtures and Results". Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions. 2013. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015.
  7. 1 2 Kiap (23 March 2014). "Pacific Rugby Cup Final: Reds A v Pampas XV". Green and Gold Rugby. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  8. 1 2 "2014 Pacific Rugby Cup Fixtures and Results". Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions. 2014.
  9. ↑ "Junior Japan end Fiji Warriors' dominance at Pacific Challenge". World Rugby. 14 March 2020. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020.
  10. ↑ "Samoa to host World Rugby Pacific Challenge 2023". Samoa Global News. 31 March 2023.
  11. ↑ IRB cancels Pacific leg. Fiji Times, 29 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Fiji to host rugby's revamped 'Pacific Challenge'". Mai Life. 27 January 2015. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  13. ↑ "World Rugby Pacific Challenge - Standing". It's Rugby. 15 March 2020. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021.
  14. ↑ "Pacific Challenge 2019". The Rugby Archive. 16 March 2019. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019.
  15. ↑ "Pacific Challenge 2018". The Rugby Archive. 17 March 2018. Archived from the original on 15 April 2018.
  16. ↑ "Pacific Challenge 2017". The Rugby Archive. 18 March 2017. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017.
  17. ↑ "Fiji Warriors crowned Pacific Challenge champions". World Rugby. 21 March 2016. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  18. ↑ "Pacific Challenge 2015, match 12". World Rugby. 23 March 2015.
  19. ↑ "2010 Pacific Rugby Cup Fixtures and Results". Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions. 2010. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.
  20. ↑ "2009 Pacific Rugby Cup Fixtures and Results". Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions. 2009. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.
  21. ↑ "2008 Pacific Rugby Cup Fixtures and Results". Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions. 2008. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.
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