Tahiti national rugby union team
 | ||
| Union | Fédération Tahitienne de Rugby de Polynésie Française | |
|---|---|---|
| Coach(es) | Teiki Dubois | |
| ||
| First international | ||
 Tahiti 0 - 3 Wallis and Futuna  (1971-09-01) | ||
| Largest win | ||
 Tahiti 41 - 6 Niue  (2001-06-16) | ||
| Largest defeat | ||
 Cook Islands 86 - 0 Tahiti (2001-06-02) | ||
The Tahiti national rugby union team is a third tier rugby union team, representing the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France. They first played in 1971 and have played just 12 games to date, four against the Cook Islands and three against Niue. Other games have been played against Samoa, Wallis and Futuna, Papua New Guinea and Tonga. France played a match against Tahiti at the end of their 1979 tour and won 92-12.[1] Plans to have annual "test" match series against Pacific island neighbours, New Caledonia have been put on hold, due to time, availability, finances, and coaching and refereeing resources. They have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. Rugby union in Tahiti is administered by the Fédération Tahitienne de Rugby de Polynésie Française. Currently, players who have not yet represented or played for the Tahiti national rugby team, are still eligible to represent France. However, playing at a professional level can only enable this. At present there are no full-time professional rugby players abroad in any professional competition.
Overall
Tahiti are currently ranked 99th on the World Rugby Rankings table.[2]
World Cup
- 1987 Rugby World Cup: Not Invited
- 1991 Rugby World Cup: Did Not Qualify
- 1995 Rugby World Cup: Did Not Qualify
- 1999 Rugby World Cup: Did Not Qualify
- 2003 Rugby World Cup: Did Not Qualify
- 2007 Rugby World Cup: Did Not Qualify
- 2011 Rugby World Cup: Did Not Participate
- 2015 Rugby World Cup: Did Not Qualify
Squad
Squad to 2013 Oceania Cup:[3]
|
Forwards
|
Backs
|
Notable players
| Player | Notability |
|---|---|
| Timi Frogier | |
| Richard Mapuhi | Played for French Club Pau in Pro D2 (49 caps, 1990-1994) |
| Tauirai Bessert | |
| Apolosi Foliaki | |
| Tihoti Tamarono |
Guest players
These players were capped for Tahiti in an invitational match against France to celebrate Bastille Day in Papeete on 14 July 1981:
- Enrique Rodríguez (dual international for Argentina & Australia)[4]
- Brett Codlin (All Blacks, 1980)
- Robert Kururangi (All Blacks, 1978 & Māori All Blacks, 1982)
- Tim Twigden (All Blacks, 1979–80)
References
- ↑
- Vivian Jenkins, ed. (1980). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1980-81. Queen Anne Press. p. 38. ISBN 0-362-02018-3.
- ↑ World Rugby.org (20 April 2015). "World Rugby Rankings". Retrieved 22 April 2015.
- ↑ http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/matches/match=14273/index.html
- ↑ Irene Watt (2 April 2012). "Enrique TOPO Rodríguez talks rugby". Retrieved 22 April 2015.