The 2019 Oceania Cup was the inaugural edition of the
Oceania Cup. Contested by six teams, the competition began in June and concluded in November.
The competition was announced at the
Rugby League International Federation
The International Rugby League (IRL) is the global governing body for the sport of rugby league football. Previously known as the ''Rugby League Imperial Board'', the '' International Rugby League Board'' and latterly the ''Rugby League Internat ...
(RLIF) congress in November 2018. The draw was released in March and breaks the six teams into two separate pools with promotion and relegation to exist in what is to become an annual tournament. Group A will comprise the top three ranked Pacific nations in , and while Group B will comprise , and .
The winner of Pool A will win the Oceania Cup while the winner of Pool B will win the Oceania Shield and be promoted to Pool A in the next edition in place of
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, who were due to travel to Europe for their first Kangaroos tour since 2003.
Venues
The games were played at the following venues in New Zealand and Australia.
Results
Group A - Cup
Notes:
* ''Jahrome Hughes
Jahrome Hughes (born 8 October 1994) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Melbourne Storm in the NRL, and the New Zealand Māori and New Zealand at international level. He is a NRL premiership winning ...
, Briton Nikora
Briton Nikora (born 7 December 1997) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a forward for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL, and New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori at international level.
Background
Ni ...
(both New Zealand), Manase Fainu
Manase Fainu (born 17 October 1998) is a former Tonga international rugby league footballer who played as a for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the NRL before he was convicted of a violent crime and sentenced to eight years in prison.
Back ...
, Kotoni Staggs
Kotoni Staggs (born 29 October 1998) is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL).
He has represented Indigenous All Stars, Tonga and New South Wales. He has playe ...
, and Sitili Tupouniua (all Tonga) made their Test debuts, while John Asiata made his debut for Tonga having previously represented Samoa.''
----
Notes:
* ''Josh Addo-Carr
Josh Addo-Carr (born 28 July 1995) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a er for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australia at international level.
He began his career with ...
, Nick Cotric
Nikola Cotric (; born 18 November 1998) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL), and Australia at international level
He previously played for the ...
, Payne Haas
Payne Haas (born 2 December 1999) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australia at international level.
He has played for the New South Wales in ...
, Jack Wighton
Jack Wighton (born 4 February 1993) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Canberra Raiders in the NRL and Australia at international level.
He has played at representative level for the Indigenous All ...
(all Australia), Braden Hamlin-Uele
Braden Hamlin-Uele (''né'' Uele; born 9 January 1995) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL. He has played for both Samoa and New Zealand at international level.
He previousl ...
, and Corey Harawira-Naera
Corey Harawira-Naera (born 18 May 1995) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a er or for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL), and the New Zealand Māori and New Zealand at international leve ...
(both New Zealand) made their Test debuts, while Paul Vaughan
Paul William Vaughan (24 October 1925 – 14 November 2014) was a British journalist, radio presenter (of art and science programmes) throughout the 1970s and 1990s, semi-professional jazz and classical musician and a narrator of many BBC Telev ...
made his debut for Australia having previously represented Italy, and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (born 2 August 1995) is a professional rugby league footballer from New Zealand who plays as a for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for the Cook Islands, New Zealand, and the N ...
and Zane Tetevano
Zane Tetevano (born 4 November 1991) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a and for the Leeds Rhinos in the Betfred Super League. He has played for both the Cook Islands and New Zealand at international level.
Tetevano pre ...
made their debut for New Zealand both having previously represented the Cook Islands.''
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Notes:
* '' Cameron Murray (Australia) made his Test debut.''
*Though with an invitational side, this is Tonga's first win over Australia.
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Group B - Shield
Notes:
* '' Xavier Coates, Edene Gebbie
Edene Gebbie (born 6 May 1995) is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league footballer who plays as a and er for Whitehaven in the Betfred Championship and Papua New Guinea at international level.
He previously played for the PNG Hunters ...
, Edwin Ipape
Edwin Ipape (born 1999) is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League and Papua New Guinea at international level.
Career
Ipape made his international debut for P ...
, Zev John
Zev John (born 14 June 1998) is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league footballer who plays as a forward for the Central Queensland Capras in the Queensland Cup and at international level.
Early life
John was born in Mount Hagen, Papua ...
, Kyle Laybutt
Kyle Laybutt (born 26 September 1995) is a Papua New Guinea international rugby league footballer who plays as a and for the Townsville Blackhawks in the Intrust Super Cup.
He previously played for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL. ...
, Bernard Lewis, Terry Wapi (all Papua New Guinea), Chanel Harris-Tavita
Chanel Harris-Tavita (born 3 April 1999) is a Samoan international rugby league footballer who plays as a or and currently plays for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Background
Harris-Tavita was born in Auckland, ...
, Hymel Hunt
Hymel Hunt (born 14 November 1993) is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a er or .
He previously played for the Gold Coast Titans, Melbourne Storm, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby Leag ...
, Marion Seve
Marion Seve (born 27 May 1995) is a Samoa national rugby league team, Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League, NRL.
Early life
Seve was born in Ipswich, Queensland, Austra ...
, and Jaydn Su'A (all Samoa) made their Test debuts, while Jamayne Isaako
Jamayne Isaako (born 5 June 1996) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a er and for the Dolphins in the NRL.
He previously played for the Brisbane Broncos and the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League. ...
made his debut for Samoa having previously represented New Zealand.''
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Notes:
* ''Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui () (born 16 February 2000) is a professional rugby league footballer who captains the Gold Coast Titans playing as a lock and prop forward in the NRL. He has played for Samoa and Australia at international level.
He previo ...
, Luciano Leilua
Luciano Leilua (born 8 June 1996) is a Samoa national rugby league team, Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a forward for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).
He previously played for the St. ...
, Moses Leota
Moses Leota (born 20 July 1995) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a and for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL. He has played for both Samoa and New Zealand at international level.
Background
Leota was born in Auckland, New ...
, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Brian To'o (all Samoa), Lamar Liolevave, and Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu (both Fiji) made their Test debuts, while Danny Levi
Daniel "Danny" Levi (born 5 December 1996) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Canberra Raiders in the NRL. He has played for New Zealand national rugby league team, New Zealand, New Zealand Māori rugby league tea ...
made his debut for Samoa having previously represented New Zealand.''
----
Notes:
* '' Daniel Russell (Papua New Guinea) made his Test debut, while Alex Johnston made his debut for Papua New Guinea having previously represented Australia.''
See also
* International rugby league in 2019
References
{{2019 in rugby league
Oceania Cup
Oceania Cup
Oceanian rugby league competitions
Oceania Cup
Oceania Cup
Oceania Cup
Oceania Cup