The 1997 Oceania Cup was an international

rugby league football Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playing field, field measur ...

tournament played in the Pacific region. The tournament was operated and contested by Super League-aligned countries during the

Super League war The Super League war was a commercial competition between the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and the Australian Super League to establish pre-eminence in professional rugby league competition in Australia and New Zealand in the mid-1990s. Super ...

as an alternative to the

Pacific Cup The Pacific Cup was a rugby league football competition for national teams from the Pacific region. History The Pacific Cup was started in 1975 by Keith Gittoes of the New South Wales Rugby League.Pacific Challenge Series 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 XII ...

Western Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...

withdrew from the tournament in disagreement with Super League-aligned authorities over promises that they believed were given to them. The tournament was originally scheduled to have two pools, one based in New Zealand and one in Tonga, and the final was to be played as a curtain raiser to the Super League Tri-series final.

Teams

New Zealand Māori were coached by

Cameron Bell Cameron Bell (born 18 September 1986) is a Scottish football coach and former player. Bell played as a goalkeeper for several Scottish clubs and once for the Scotland national team. Bell began his senior career with Kilmarnock and, after loa ...

and included Dean Clark, Tukere Barlow, Frank Watene, Darryl Beazley and

Solomon Kiri Solomon Kiri (born 26 October 1972) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s for the Adelaide Rams and the Western Reds. New Zealand Kiri played for the Counties Manukau Heroes in the 1994 ...

. New Zealand XIII were coached by

Gary Kemble Gary Edward Kemble (born 23 August 1956), also known by the nickname "Crayfish", is a New Zealand rugby league coach and former player. He has both played and coached the New Zealand national rugby league team. He is the current head coach of t ...

and included Glenn Coughlan, Blair Harding, Mike Dorreen,

Iva Ropati Iva Lewis Ropati is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, and high school principal. He played at representative level for New Zealand, Auckland and Taranaki, and at club level for the Ota ...

Shane Endacott Shane Endacott (born ) is a New Zealand rugby league coach and former player. His position of preference was Five Eighth; however, he was also often used at lock, hooker or in the centres. He is the son of New Zealand national rugby league team ...

, captain Aaron Whittaker,

Mark Faumuina Mark Faumuina (born 2 October 1971) is a former Western Samoa international rugby league footballer. Playing career An Otahuhu Leopards junior, Faumuina represented Auckland, playing for the Under 17's in 1987 and the under 18's in 1991. In 199 ...

Denvour Johnston Denvour Francis Johnston is a New Zealand rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand in 1993. Playing career Johnston played for the Randwick Kingfishers club in the Wellington Rugby League competition. He represented the Cook Islands a ...

Hitro Okesene John Haitrosene "Hitro" Okesene () (born 22 September 1970), also known by the nickname of "Nitro",Coffey and Wood ''The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League'' is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s ...

Jerry Seuseu Jerry Seuseu (born 19 April 1974) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, as a . He represented New Zealand and Samoa at international level. After retirement he became Wellbeing and Educa ...

, Bryan Henare, Meti Noovao, Brad Williams,

Joe Galuvao Joe Galuvao (born 8 July 1978) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s in the NRL. A Samoa and New Zealand international second row forward, he played for the Auckland Warriors, Parramatta Eel ...

, Fa'ausu Afoa, Ben Fahey, Jason Kerapa, Keneti Asiata and Paul Staladi. Richard Stewart replaced Shane Endacott when he withdrew due to injury.''New Zealand Rugby League Annual '97'',

New Zealand Rugby Football League The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood ''T ...

, 1997. p.124 Before the series began the New Zealand Māori bet the New Zealand XIII 21-19 at Ericsson Stadium.

Results

Group stage

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Table

Knock-out stage

5th place play-off

3rd place play-off

Final

References

{{1997 in rugby league

Oceania Cup The Oceania Cup is an international men's field hockey competition organised by Oceania Hockey Federation (OHF). It is held every two years to determine which teams will receive an automatic berth to the Men's FIH Hockey World Cup and Summer Olymp ...

Oce International rugby league competitions hosted by New Zealand Pacific Cup