Rugby union in French Polynesia

Country| Tahiti
Governing body| Tahiti Rugby Union
National team(s)| Tahiti
Nickname(s)| Aito (m)
Hine (f)
First played| 1971
Registered players| 1,892
Clubs| 18 (in 2011)[1]

National competitions

Rugby World Cup
Oceania Cup
Rugby World Cup Sevens
Oceania Sevens

Club competitions

Tahiti Championship
Tahiti Championship D2
Tahitian Cup
Tahitian Cup D2
French Polynesian Cup
Tahiti Championship(Tens)
Tahiti Championship(Sevens)

Rugby union is a popular team sport in French Polynesia, particularly on the main island of Tahiti. It was first introduced by British, Kiwi and Australian sailors, and also through the French and the strong presence of the game amongst Pacific Nations. Top Tahitian clubs participate in the domestic club league, the Championnat de Tahiti. Clubs also competed in friendlies versus foreign club teams from neighboring nations as far across the Pacific to Chile.[2]

The national side competes annually in the Oceania Cup, last winning the competition in 2017. Traditionally, rugby union matches in French Polynesia tend to be held in the evening rather than the afternoon, due to the tropical climate.[3] Because of this, rugby union organisers in Tahiti tend to put on entertainment during the day, to keep visiting rugby players etc. happy.[3]

## Governing body

[edit]

The Tahitian union was founded in 1989, and affiliated to the IRB in 1994.[4][5]

## History

[edit]

Rugby is greatly growing in popularity in Tahiti, but the national sport still remains football.

Bora Bora in French Polynesia

Rugby came to Tahiti via three separate streams, firstly, through the visits of British, New Zealand and Australian sailors; secondly, through the French presence (many of the main teams are still French military); and thirdly through contact with neighbouring Pacific islands, where the game is popular.[4]

Up to 2003, Tahiti played in international rugby sevens (Pacific Games) and XV-a-side, in the qualifying rounds for the Rugby World Cup.[5]

In 2006, there were fourteen clubs in the national championship and two divisions.[5] There were also sevens competitions, women's rugby, and under-18 rugby competitions as well.[5]

## National team

[edit]

Lack of infrastructure and the dispersed nature of both the geography and population of Tahiti has hindered international success. The Tahiti national rugby union team had its first internationals in 1997, losing 92–6 to Papua New Guinea, and 40–0 to the Cook Islands. To be fair, Oceania is perhaps the toughest arena in World Rugby, having not just the mighty All Blacks, but also the likes of the Wallabies, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, all of which do well in the Rugby World Cup.

Due to Tahiti being a territory of France, rugby players born in Tahiti are actually French citizens, making them eligible to represent France. The issue has been resolved with the IRB, giving the players themselves to choose which country they wish to represent.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Tahiti". International Rugby Board. 2011. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
2. ^ South Pacific and Micronesia. Lonely Planet. 2006. p. 53. ISBN 1-74104-304-2.
3. ^ a b Cotton, p16
4. ^ a b Bath, p75
5. ^ a b c d (in French) Archives du Rugby: Mayotte retrieved 8 September 2009

## Further reading

[edit]

* Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ISBN 1-86200-013-1)
* Cotton, Fran (Ed.) (1984) The Book of Rugby Disasters & Bizarre Records. Compiled by Chris Rhys. London. Century Publishing. ISBN 0-7126-0911-3

## External links

[edit]

* Tahiti rugby official site
* Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions, Tahiti page
* Oceania Nations, Tahiti
* Two days of rugby union sevens
* (in French) Archives du Rugby: Tahiti

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Rugby union in Tahiti

Governing body|

Tahiti Rugby Union

National teams|

| Men's|

* Men
* 7's

|

Women's|

* Women's
* 7's

Competitions|

* FORU Oceania Cup
* Pacific Games
* Oceania Sevens
* Oceania Women's Sevens Championship

Related articles|

* Rugby union in France
* Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions

* v
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* e

Rugby union in World Rugby affiliated nations not present in the Rugby World Cups

Third tier without
World Cup experience|

* Algeria
* American Samoa
* Andorra
* Arab states of the Persian Gulf
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belgium
* Bermuda
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Botswana
* Brazil
* British Virgin Islands
* Brunei
* Bulgaria
* Burundi
* Cambodia
* Cameroon
* Cayman Islands
* Chile
* China
* Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
* Colombia
* Cook Islands
* Costa Rica
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Ecuador
* Finland
* French Polynesia (Tahiti)
* Germany
* Ghana
* Greece
* Guam
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Hong Kong
* Hungary
* India
* Israel
* Jamaica
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Kenya
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Latvia
* Lesotho
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Macau
* Madagascar
* Malaysia
* Mali
* Malta
* Mauritania
* Mauritius
* Mexico
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Mongolia
* Morocco
* Nauru
* Netherlands
* Nigeria
* Niue
* Norway
* Pakistan
* Papua New Guinea
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Philippines
* Poland
* Rwanda
* Senegal
* Serbia
* Singapore
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Solomon Islands
* South Korea
* Sri Lanka
* St Lucia
* St Vincent & Grenadines
* Swaziland
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Tanzania
* Thailand
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Trinidad & Tobago
* Uganda
* Ukraine
* Uzbekistan
* Vanuatu
* Venezuela
* Zambia

Former states without
World Cup experience|

* Czechoslovakia
* East Germany
* USSR
* West Germany
* Yugoslavia

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Rugby union in French DOM-TOM

Governing bodies|

* French Rugby Federation
* Tahiti Rugby Union

*      Committees: Guadeloupe
* French Guiana
* Martinique
* Mayotte
* New Caledonia
* Réunion
* Wallis and Futuna

National teams|

* Guadeloupe
* French Guiana
* Martinique
* Mayotte
* New Caledonia
* Réunion
* Tahiti
* Wallis and Futuna

By dependency|

* Guadeloupe
* French Guiana
* Martinique
* Mayotte
* New Caledonia
* Réunion
* Saint Barthélemy
* Saint Martin
* Saint Pierre and Miquelon
* Tahiti
* Wallis and Futuna

Related articles|

* Kailao
* Willy Taofifénua

* v
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* e

Rugby union in Oceania

Sovereign states|

* Australia
* Federated States of Micronesia
* Fiji
* Indonesia
* Kiribati
* Marshall Islands
* Nauru
* New Zealand
* Palau
* Papua New Guinea
* Samoa
* Solomon Islands
* Timor-Leste
* Tonga
* Tuvalu
* Vanuatu

Associated states
of New Zealand|

* Cook Islands
* Niue

Dependencies
and other territories|

* American Samoa
* Christmas Island
* Cocos (Keeling) Islands
* Easter Island
* French Polynesia
* Guam
* Hawaii
* New Caledonia
* Norfolk Island
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Pitcairn Islands
* Tokelau
* Wallis and Futuna

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