Pacific Rugby Cup - Teivovo.com

Saturday 5 May 2007

Pacific Rugby Cup champs...Upolu Samoa after the final

Upolu Samoa crowned Pacific Rugby Cup champions

Upolu Samoa have been crowned IRB Pacific Rugby Cup Champions after defeating favourites Tau’uta Reds 35-15 in the competition’s grand final in Tonga on Saturday.

One point separated the two teams when they met in the round robin stages of the competition in April. On that day it was the Reds who stole the points with an injury time penalty, but there was to be no repeat result for the Tongans in Nuku’alofa’s Teufaiva Stadium as Upolu’s forwards took a stranglehold on the match, dominating both the breakdown and the set pieces.

Despite the greater scoreline, the match was no less exciting or competitive than its predecessor. Both sides strived to entertain, playing a brand of high quality, entertaining rugby, underlining just how far the Pacific Rugby Cup has come since making its debut last year. Indeed

The Samoan’s lead for the majority of a high-quality affair, scoring four tries in front of over 3000 vociferous supporters near perfect conditions in Tonga’s Teufaiva Stadium with Upolu’s fly-half Joshua Keil contributing 15 points to ensure that it would yet again be a Samoan side to lift the Cup.

The visitors got off to the best of starts when Joshua Keil landed the first of three penalty goals to give Upolu a 3-0 lead after eight minutes. Upolu looked to stretch their lead but were frustrated by a committed Tau’uta Reds defence that seemed to be encouraged by a vociferous home support.

Indeed it was the home side that scored the open try of the final when impressive openside Rodney Mahe crashed over for a score that prompted scenes of celebration amongst the 3000 support.

However, the lead was to be short lived as Upolu stepped up the tempo, found forward dominance and established a 13-5 lead at the interval after hooker Muliufi Salanoa was driven over the line eight minutes from time. Joshua Keil’s second penalty followed on the stroke of halftime to give the visitors a handy advantage.

Any thoughts that the home side, who finished top of the round robin standings, would fight their way back into the game were quickly dispelled when blindside Marlon Solofuti matched his back row colleague’s feat by scoring a superb try almost from the restart.

Reds take risks

Tau’uta Reds did show great courage to haul themselves back into the match, but playing catch up rugby there was always going to be an element of risk. However, the home side’s invention was rewarded in the 51st minute when two tries within the space of three minutes closed the gap to just three points.

The score appeared to jolt Upolu back into life after a period of defensive errors, and the visitors stretched their lead midway through the half when winger Lagolasi Fonoti crossed the whitewash for the first of his second half brace of tries. Joshua Keil’s conversion gave Upolu a 10-point lead.

Thereafter Upolu took complete control of the match as Tau’uta, pressing for a try to reduce the arrears, were forced into making mistakes. Keil struck over a third penalty with 10 minutes left on the clock before Fonoti’s second try sealed the match for the visitors.

Successful tournament

Yet again the Pacific Rugby Cup proved that it is a worthy addition to the international rugby calendar. In its second year, the competition made a significant step up from the first, serving up some highly competitive rugby and providing a local player development platform for the national coaches of the three participating unions ahead of the IRB Pacific Nations Cup and Rugby World Cup 2007 in France.

It also highlighted the considerable progress made by the High Performance Units that have been established in each of the Tier 2 Unions as a key element of the IRB’s US $50 million global strategic investment programme.

Attention within the Pacific Islands now turns to the IRB Pacific Nations Cup, and a competition which, if the Pacific Rugby Cup is anything to go by, promises to be extremely competitive. The action starts on 19 May when Fiji face Samoa.

Saturday 5 May 2007
UPOLU SAMOA 35 TAU'UTA REDS 15
IRB Pacific Rugby Cup Final
Teufaiva Stadium
Referee: Samuel Tuidraki
Crowd: 3000
Weather: Sunny, warm

UPOLU SAMOA: 15 Douglas Tausili, 14 Gafatasi Siitia, 13 Paletuatoa Toelupe, 12 Samasoni Moala, 11 Lagolasi Fonoti, 10 Joshua Keil, 9 Dominic Gabriel, 8 Mussolini Magele, 7 Alapasa Cortz, 6 Marlon Sione, 5 Tui Fitiao, 4 Olaifale Pipili, 3 Solomona Tavita, 2 Muliufi Salanoa, 1 Donald Kerslake (capt) .
Replacements: 16 Andrew Williams, 17 Taligatuli Moala, 18 Amilale Utumapu, 19 Sirovai Sila, 20 Notise Tauafao, 21 Orion Keil. 22, Mussolini Schuster.

TAU’UTA REDS: 15 Vaea Poteki, 14 Ualosi Kailea, 13 Hudson Tonga’uiha (capt), 12 ‘Ofa Takai, 11 Sione Tu’akoi, 10 Mataiasi ‘Aholelei, 9 ‘Enele Taufa, 8 Lutikha ‘Ilolahia, 7 Rodney Mahe, 6 ‘Otulea Fifita, 5 ‘Isileli Fine, 4 Tevita Tanginoa, 3 Siosateki Mata’u, 2 Sione ‘Etimone Poteki, 1 Tevita Fonua .
Replacements: 16 ‘Atelea Hu’akau, 17 Toma Toke, 18 Kelepi Halafihi, 19 Tavalea Takai, 20 Siope Kapeli, 21 Tevita Sikalele ‘Ahoafi, 22 Tukitoa Na’a.

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