Rugby union in Tokelau

Rugby union is a popular sport in Tokelau.[1]

## History

[edit]

The atoll of Fakaofo: rugby is popular in the islands, but is hindered by geographical factors, such as distance, and lack of space.

Like many other Pacific nations, Tokelauan rugby is a popular, but often not formally organised sport. Tokelauans due to their small numbers, and scattered island population, have often preferred rugby sevens to the XV game,[2] although Tokelau did play rugby 15s at the 1983 South Pacific Games, including a creditable 15–28 loss to PNG, a much larger Pacific nation.[3] Rugby sevens has been a sport in the South Pacific Games since the late 1990s.

There is also a semi-formal league structure.

Tokelau's main problems are related to population and geographical factors - its population is a mere 1,416, and lives on three widely separated tropical coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean. All of this makes a rugby infrastructure difficult to construct, and the islands are beset by rising sea levels. The geographic future of Tokelau depends on the height of the ocean. No significant land is more than two metres above high water of ordinary tides. This means Tokelau is particularly vulnerable to any possible sea level rises caused by global warming. There is also a lack of land for specifically designated rugby pitches.

Tokelau's close relationship with New Zealand and Australia, however, ensures that rugby union gets a lot of media coverage in Tokelau.

Tokelau took part in a rugby sevens tournament in the Cook Islands in June 2009.[4]

### Rugby league comparison

[edit]

Main article: Rugby league in Tokelau

As is the case with most Pacific Islands, rugby league has had a presence in Tokelau since the late 1980s.[5] However, like some other national rugby league teams, the national side has relied on Australian based players with Tokelauan heritage to bolster its strength.

## See also

[edit]

* Tokelau national rugby sevens team

## References

[edit]

1. ^ South Pacific and Micronesia. Lonely Planet. 2006. p. 682. ISBN 1-74104-304-2.
2. ^ Tokelau Community 7s
3. ^ "South Pacific Games". The Rugby Archive. 1983. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
4. ^ Two days of rugby union sevens
5. ^ Rugby League Planet, retrieved 8 July 2009

## External links

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* Tokelau Sevens team
* Tokelau Community 7s
* Two days of rugby union sevens
* Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions

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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
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* 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 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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