The Niue Island national rugby union team is the national team of the third tier rugby union playing nation of Niue Island. The team first started playing in 1983 in mainly competes in the Oceania Cup, which it won in 2008. Rugby union in Niue Island is administered by the Niue Rugby Football Union.
Results Niue's first international match was at the 1983 South Pacific Games in Suva against hosts . The Niueans managed to score a try against the eventual tournament winners but were defeated by 124–4. The team found success in the 2008 Oceania Cup, defeating New Caledonia by 27–5 in the final on 1 September 2008."Niue take Oceania Cup rugby union final" , ABC Radio Australia, 1 September 2008
As of 29 May 2013, Niue was ranked 71st in the IRB world rankings. The team had played 10 international matches by that time, four against the Cook Islands and three against Tahiti. Other matches have been against Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu.
Players Some of Niue's best players are professionals in New Zealand. Former Niue captain Matt Faleuka played for Northland before moving to Italian club Overmach Rugby Parma in 2007.
While the Niue and the Cook Islands teams did not compete in the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004 (but not in 2006).
The Niue sevens team have been active in the IRB World Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.
Record Rugby World Cup record Rugby World Cup record Year Qualification status 1987Not Invited 1991Did Not Enter 1995Did Not Enter 1999Did Not Enter 2003Did Not Qualify 2007Did Not Qualify 2011Did Not Qualify 2015Did Not Qualify 2019Did Not Qualify 2023Did Not Qualify 2027Did Not Enter 2031To be determined
Overall Below is a table of the representative rugby matches played by a Greece national XV at test level up until 31 August 2019, updated after match with .
Opponent Played Won Lost Drawn % Won 7 2 5 0 % 1 0 1 0 0% 1 1 0 0 % 2 2 0 0 % 3 0 3 0 0% 3 1 2 0 % 5 5 0 0 % 2 2 0 0 % Total 24 13 11 0 %
Current squad The squad was selected for the 2019 Oceania Rugby Cup.
Player Position Club Luke Gibb (c) Hooker Paremata-Plimmerton RFC Matthew Jackson Hooker Krueger Crocs Samuel Ikihega Prop Moorabbin Rams Stephen Tapuosi Prop Chicago Lions Morre Tukuniu Prop Southern Marlins Maloney Taleni Prop Otahuhu RFC Pierce Makaola Lock Northern Panthers George Pamatatau Lock North Brisbane Rugby Club Auston Puhotau Lock North Brisbane Rugby Club Sagele Harrison Lock Coomera Crushers Quinton Strickland Flanker Footscray R.U.F.C. Togatule Kose Flanker Mareeba Gladiators Nick Laufoli Flanker Kava Club Randy Liuvaie Number 8 Freyberg Old Boys RFC Khalum Halo Scrum-half Manukau Rovers RFC Gavin Patuki Scrum-half Southern Cross Shaun-Adam Atamu Fly-half Bombay R.F.C. David Pamatatau Fly-half Coomera Crushers Anthony Liuvaie Centre Old Boys University RFC Lepau Feau-Fuhiniu Centre Old Boys University RFC Dawson Mele Centre Southern Cross Cyruss Payne Wing Marist Saints Tui Leatigaga Wing Camden Rugby Dee Saele Nanai Wing Manukau Rovers Tonga Tongotongo Wing Manukau Rovers Kegan Tuhega Fullback Pine Rivers Bears Junior League Club Logan Norman Fullback Bangor RFC
See also Rugby union in Niue
References
External links Report of the FORU Oceania Cup Final