2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup
Encyclopedia
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
tournament held between six national sides on the Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim refers to places around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The term "Pacific Basin" includes the Pacific Rim and islands in the Pacific Ocean...
: Australia A, Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
, Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
, Samoa
Samoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
, Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
and New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
(just for this year). The inaugural competition was held in 2006. This year the tournament started on 7 June and ended on 6 July 2008.
The tournament is a round-robin where each team plays all of the other teams once. There are four points for a win, two for a draw and none for a defeat. There are also bonus points offered with one bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and one bonus point for losing by 7 points or less.
Table
| Pos | Country | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | +/− | BP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 134 | 62 | 1 | 21 | ||
| 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 220 | 77 | 4 | 20 | ||
| 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 95 | 117 | −22 | 2 | 10 | |
| 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 94 | 117 | −23 | 2 | 10 | |
| 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 121 | 181 | −60 | 3 | 7 | |
| 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 71 | 181 | −110 | 2 | 6 |
Round 1
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Round 2
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Round 3
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Round 4
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Round 5
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Player statistics
The top five point scorers were: James ArlidgeJames Arlidge
is a Japanese international rugby union player. He plays primarily at fly-half.-Club career:Unusually he made his Super rugby debut for the Auckland Blues, prior to making his first start in provincial rugby, making the step from junior rugby with Pakuranga and Auckland Colts, due to the then Blues...
(Japan) 56, Callum Bruce
Callum Bruce
Callum Bruce is a New Zealand rugby union player.-Super 14:Bruce formally played for the Super 14 team Highlanders. He now plays for the Super 14 team Chiefs. Although his normal position is second five-eighth, Bruce has also covered first five-eighth for the Highlanders when regular fly-half Nick...
(NZ Maori) 50, Taniela Rawaqa
Taniela Rawaqa
Taniela Rawaqa is a Fijan rugby union player. He plays fullback, presently with the Western Crusaders in the Colonial Cup and with the Fiji Warriors in the Pacific Rugby Cup and internationally with Fiji. He is the younger brother of Fijian International Ifereimi RawaqaHe made his international...
(Fiji) 33, Mark Gerrard
Mark Gerrard
Mark Gerrard is an Australian professional rugby union footballer. He currently plays for the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby competition. In 2011 he was one of 10 players nominated to become the competition's Super Rugby player of the year....
(Australia A) 28, Gavin Williams
Gavin Williams (rugby player)
Gavin Williams is a Auckland is a Rugby Union player, who plays club rugby for ASM Clermont Auvergne, and internationally for Samoa....
(Samoa) 28
External links
- IRB Pacific Nations Cup - from the IRB website (June 17, 2008)
- Schedule - IRB website (pdf)
- IRB Pacific Nations schedule announced - IRB website, 4 March 2008