Rugby union in the
Cook Islands
)
, image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg
, capital = Avarua
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Avarua
, official_languages =
, lan ...
is a popular sport.
It is a tier three rugby playing nation. They began playing international rugby in 1971 and have yet to make the
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is a men's rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams. The tournament is administered by World Rugby, the sport's international governing body. The winners are awarded the Webb E ...
. They are currently rated 55th, with 2,258 registered players and 21 clubs.
[ retrieved 4 July 2009]
Governing body
The
Cook Islands Rugby Union
The Cook Islands Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in the Cook Islands. It was founded in 1989 and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1995.
The Cook Islands Rugby Union are also members of the Pacific Islands Rug ...
was founded in 1948, and affiliated to the IRFB in 1995.
[Bath, Richard (ed.) ''The Complete Book of Rugby'' (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ) p65] The Cook Islands Rugby Union are also members of the
Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance
The Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) was set up in 2002 as a basis of co-operation between the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga Rugby Unions. Niue and the Cook Islands also became members of the Alliance and supplied players to the Pacific Islanders
...
.
History
As with many Pacific Island nations, rugby has been the main sport since the early 20th century. Visiting ships from
Australia,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, the UK and
Japan, have kept the game going.
[ However, Cook Island rugby has mostly taken the form of an informal folk sport until recently.][ In the 1990s, Anthony Turua played a major part in formalising the situation, and getting the national side up to standard. Although they did not manage to get into the ]Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is a men's rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams. The tournament is administered by World Rugby, the sport's international governing body. The winners are awarded the Webb E ...
, the Cook Islands have done well in a tough rugby region, and managed to beat Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
.[ As with several of the Pacific Nations, the Cook Islands have tended to do best at rugby sevens.
The Cook Islands have suffered a problem common to many other surrounding nations such as ]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); ...
; with potential players opting to play for bigger nations. Both brothers Graeme and Steve Bachop were eligible to play for the Cook Islands[ but chose to play for their country of birth ]New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
.
National team
The Cook Islands national rugby union team
The Cook Islands is a third tier rugby union playing nation. They began playing international rugby in early 1971. Thus far, the Cook Islands have not made an appearance at any of the World Cups.
History
In 1924 a scratch team of Rarotongan boy ...
began playing international rugby union in 1971. Thus far, the Cook Islands have not made an appearance at any of the Rugby World Cups. They are very far from the level of Fiji, 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); ...
and Tonga
Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...
. They can also supply players for the Pacific Islanders
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...
team.
See also
*Cook Islands national rugby union team
The Cook Islands is a third tier rugby union playing nation. They began playing international rugby in early 1971. Thus far, the Cook Islands have not made an appearance at any of the World Cups.
History
In 1924 a scratch team of Rarotongan boy ...
*Cook Islands national rugby sevens team
The Cook Islands national rugby sevens team is a minor national sevens side. They qualified for the 2014 Hong Kong Sevens tournament and played in the World Series Qualifiers.
History
Cook Islands lost to Papua New Guinea at the 2017 Oceania ...
* Sport in the Cook Islands
External links
IRB Cook Islands page
Oceania nations, Cook Islands
References
{{Oceania in topic, Rugby union in