Pacific Rim Championship

(Redirected from 2004 Pacific Cup)

The 2004 Pacific Rim Championship and the 2004 Pacific Cup was the 9th Pacific Cup, a rugby league tournament held between Pacific teams. The tournament was hosted in Auckland and for the first time split into two competitions; The Pacific Rim Championship between national teams and the Pacific Cup between Auckland-based selections. In the final of the Pacific Rim competition the Cook Islands defeated New Zealand Māori 46-6 while Samoa XIII defeated Tonga XIII 52–18 to win the Pacific Cup.

2004 (2004) Pacific Rim Championship  ()
Number of teams6
Host country New Zealand
Winner Cook Islands (1st title)
2006

Background

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The tournament, organised by both the New Zealand Rugby League and Pacific Island Rugby League Association (PIRLA), was a revival of the Pacific Cup which had not been held since 1997 due to the Super League war. The aim of the Pacific Rim Championship was to promote awareness of the game in the region with a view to re-establishing international fixtures and full contact with the main nations Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand in the near future.

The teams that participated in the 2004 Pacific Rim competition were: Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand Māori, Niue, Samoa and the Cook Islands. The Pacific Cup included Auckland Māori, New Caledonia, Samoa XIII, Tonga XIII and two other teams.

The official opening was held as part of the pre-match programme for the Tri-Nations test match between Australia and the New Zealand Kiwis on 16 October. A colourful parade of flags representing the participating countries was led into the stadium in front of about 20,000 spectators before kick-off.[1]

Matches were played at Waitemata Stadium, Ericsson Stadium and North Harbour Stadium.[1]

Squads

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The Pacific Rim competition featured international and New Zealand based players while the Pacific Cup squads were limited to Auckland-based players with the exception of New Caledonia who sent a development squad.[2]

Pacific Rim squads

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New Zealand Māori

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New Zealand Māori were coached by Tawera Nikau who was assisted by Terry Hermansson.[3]

Player Club
Sam Andrews   Waicoa Bay Stallions
Kurt Cawdron   Auckland Lions
Taite Daniels   Northern Storm
Teteira Davis   Wellington Orcas
Willy Henare   Auckland Lions
Aoterangi Herangi   Auckland Lions
Charlie Herekotukutuku   Canterbury Bulls
Nathan Hohaia   Taranaki Wildcats
Shane Wallacehoskin   Taranaki Wildcats
Odell Manuel   Auckland Lions
Tukua Matthews   Waicoa Bay Stallions
Vern Moana-Mason   Waicoa Bay Stallions
Glen Rota   Auckland Lions
Peter Prime   Northern Storm
Herewini Rangi   Eastern Tornadoes
Kererua Savage   Hawke's Bay Unicorns
Barry Tawera   Waicoa Bay Stallions
Sonny Whakarau   Central Falcons
Mike Whakatihi   Central Falcons
Vince Whare   Canterbury Bulls

Fiji

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The Fijian squad was composed mainly of locally based players.[4]

Player Club
Isimeli Soqe
Iowane Divavesi
Lusio Tanoa
Neori Ravono
Saula Lalagavesi
Saimoni Ralulu
Toakula Tuqiri
Alipate Tuinivata
Saverio Matairakula
Atekini Roko
Sevanaia Koroi
Asaeli Saravaki
Marika Koroivui
Lagilagi Golea
Semesa Cadrakilagi
Tevita Volavola
Joji Nuidamu
Jone Wesele
Semisi Tora

Pacific Rim Competition

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Pool A

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17 October 2004
Māori   54 – 4   Niue
19 October 2004
Samoa   36 – 18   Niue
21 October 2004
Māori   70 – 10   Samoa
Try: Davis (3), Hohaia, Herekotukutuku, Moana-Mason, Herangi, Prime, Rangi, Savage, Whakatihi
Goal: Davis (13)
[5]
Try: Ropati, Tavita
Goal: Ropati

Pool B

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17 October 2004
Fiji   6 – 56   Tonga
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19 October 2004
Cook Islands   18 – 10   Tonga
Try: B. Ford, N. Ford, Taia
Goal: Mataora (3)
[6]
Try: Sete, Taufaʻao
Goal: Lilo
21 October 2004
Cook Islands   20 – 12   Fiji
Try: Epati, Glassie, Taia
Goal: Mataora (4)
[7]
Try: Saravaki, Soqe
Goal: Tinivata (2)

Bowl Final

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23 October 2004
Fiji   34 – 24   Niue
Try: Saravaki (2) Tora, Karaitiana, Koroi, Tanoa
Goal: Tanoa (4), Saravaki
Try: Ikinofo, Vasau, Pulesea, Pesene, Talafagi
Goal: Logopati (2)

Grand Final

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23 October 2004
Cook Islands   46 – 4   Māori
Try: B. Ford (3), N. Ford (2), Jeffries, Mitchell, Pritchard, Tuakura
Goal: Mataora (5)
[8]
Try: Prime

Pacific Cup

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Pool A

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17 October 2004
Samoa XIII   44 – 10   Auckland Māori
18 October 2004
Auckland Māori   70 – 0   New Caledonia
20 October 2004
Samoa XIII   76 – 0   New Caledonia

Pool B

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17 October 2004
Tonga XIII   22 – 17   Cook Islands XIII
18 October 2004
Tonga XIII   22 – 18   American Samoa
20 October 2004
Cook Islands XIII   28 – 12   American Samoa

Final

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23 October 2004
Samoa XIII   52 – 18   Tonga XIII

References

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  1. ^ a b Auckland Hosts Pacific Rugby League Showdown Archived 2006-11-12 at the Wayback Machine eventpolynesia.com
  2. ^ John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. pp. 329–330. ISBN 9781869693312.
  3. ^ "Taranaki pair picked for NZ Maori cup team". Taranaki Daily News. New Plymouth, New Zealand. 7 October 2004. p. 12 – via NewsBank.
  4. ^ "Bati targets defensive patterns". Fiji Times. Suva. 5 October 2004. p. 36 – via NewsBank.
  5. ^ "NZ Maori Thrash Samoa". Rugby League in New Zealand. Archived from the original on 30 October 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Cook Islands survive Tongan onslaught". Rugby League in New Zealand. 20 October 2004. Archived from the original on 30 October 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Cooks into Pacific Rim Grand Final". Rugby League in New Zealand. 22 October 2004. Archived from the original on 30 October 2004. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Pacific Rim Grand Final Cook Islands v NZ Maori". Rugby League in New Zealand. Archived from the original on 30 October 2004. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
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