Pacific Challenge

1996 (1996) Pacific Challenge ()
Number of teams	7
Matches played	8
Tournaments < 1994 1997 >

The 1996 Pacific Challenge was a rugby league tournament held between Pacific teams. The tournament was played over eight days and in six countries. It featured an uneven draw with every team playing twice, except for Tonga and the New Zealand XIII side who both played three times, and no final.

Background

The tournament was a hastily arranged replacement for the cancelled 1996 Pacific Cup which eventually took place as the 1997 Oceania Cup.^[1] The tournament was held during the Superleague war that was severely effecting international rugby league at this time.

Squads

The Cook Islands included Sonny Shepherd and Richard Piakura.^[2]
Coached by Cameron Bell, the New Zealand Māori squad included Sonny Whakarau, Frank Watene, Paul Rauhihi and Matthew Sturm.
The New Zealand XIII were coached by Gerard Stokes, captained by Whetu Taewa and included Willie McLean, Earl Va'a, Brian Jellick, Denvour Johnston, Jerry Seuseu, Stuart Lester, Boycie Nelson, Doc Murray, David Bailey and Ben Lythe.^[2]
Tonga included Paul Koloi and Esau Mann.^[2]
Western Samoa included Paki Tuimavave and Mike Setefano.^[2]

Results

3 July 1996

Fiji	14 - 8	Cook Islands

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand

3 July 1996

Māori	28 - 18	Tonga

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand

3 July 1996

New Zealand XIII	21 - 6	Papua New Guinea

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand

6 July 1996

Fiji	34 - 16	New Zealand XIII

Prince Charles Park, Nadi, Fiji

6 July 1996

Western Samoa	16 - 39	Māori

International Stadium, Apia, Western Samoa

8 July 1996

Papua New Guinea	56 - 19	Tonga

Hubert Murray Stadium, Port Moresby, PNG

10 July 1996

Cook Islands	4 - 16	New Zealand XIII

Tereora National Stadium, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

10 July 1996

Tonga	22 - 17	Western Samoa

Tefuaiwa Stadium, Nukuʻalofa, Tonga

References

↑ John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. ISBN 9781869693312.
1 2 3 4 Pacific Challenge The Vault

Rugby League Pacific Cup

Tournaments	1975 1977 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1997 2004 2006 2009

Finals	1975 1977 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1997 2004 2006 2009

Squads	1975 1977 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1997 2004 2006 2009

Current participants	Cook Islands Fiji Papua New Guinea Samoa Tonga

Past participants	American Samoa Australian Aborigines Fijian President's XIII New Zealand New Zealand Māori Niue Norfolk Island Northern Territory Rotuma Tokelau Victoria Western Australia

The tournament has had several names. In 1996, it was known as Pacific Challenge Series; in 1997, the Oceania Cup; and in 2004, the Pacific Rim Championship.

Rugby league in Oceania

Main articles	Australia Cook Islands Fiji New Zealand Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tonga

Major federations	Asia-Pacific Australia Cook Islands Fiji New Zealand Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga

Major competitions	Australia Cook Islands Fiji New Zealand Papua New Guinea Tonga Solomon Islands

National teams	American Samoa Australia Cook Islands East Timor Fiji Guam Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru New Caledonia New Zealand Niue Norfolk Island Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tahiti Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Wallis and Futuna

Women's national teams	Australia Cook Islands Fiji New Zealand Niue Samoa Tokelau Tonga

Pacific Cup	1975 1977 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1997 2004 2006 2009

Competitions	Anzac Test Pacific Rugby League International Four Nations Peter Leitch QSM Challenge Trophy

1996 in rugby league

« 1995

1997 »

International Rugby League

British Rugby League

Competitions	RFL Championship Super League Division One Division Two Challenge Cup Regal Trophy

SL Teams	Bradford Bulls Castleford Tigers Halifax Blue Sox Leeds London Broncos Oldham Bears Paris Saint-Germain Sheffield Eagles St Helens Warrington Wolves Wigan Warriors Clash of the Codes Workington Town

Australian Rugby League

Competitions	State of Origin ARL season Grand Final Queensland Cup BRL Premiership

By club	Auckland Warriors Balmain Tigers Brisbane Broncos Canterbury Bulldogs Canberra Raiders Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Illawarra Steelers Gold Coast Chargers Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Newcastle Knights North Queensland Cowboys North Sydney Bears Parramatta Eels Penrith Panthers Sydney Roosters St. George Dragons South Sydney Rabbitohs South Queensland Crushers Western Suburbs Magpies Western Reds

Other Domestic competitions

New Zealand

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, July 31, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.