Rugby sevens cup held in Tahiti

The Polynesian rugby sevens cup took place Saturday evening at the Punaruu stadium in Tahiti, featuring teams from the region competing for the trophy.

Paea-Pirae alliance wins the cup

The Paea-Pirae alliance defeated Punaauia with a score of 12-10 to win the trophy in the presence of Jordan Roux, vice president of the French Rugby Federation.

Alliance formed for squad challenges

The alliance, formed by two clubs facing squad size challenges, combined forces to compete in the tournament. Coach Marcel Coppenrath described the victory as a reward for the team, noting that they trained with only five players before forming the alliance.

Tight match with penalties

The match against Punaauia was particularly tight, with the Paea-Pirae team receiving several yellow cards and playing with five players against seven. A last-minute conversion by the prop secured the win.

Papeete takes third place

Papeete defeated the Adapted Military Service Regiment of French Polynesia (29-21) to obtain third place in the tournament. The Faa'a team, involved in an altercation that caused the cancellation of the first day of the championship, did not participate in the competition.

French Rugby Federation official visits

Jordan Roux, present at the event, explained that his visit to French Polynesia was part of an important commitment from the French Rugby Federation. He also aimed to assess progress on works related to the Pacific Games and the development of the Polynesian Access to High Level Structure (SPAHN), which supports promising talents on the island.

Growth in rugby participation

Roux noted that the number of coaches and members (750) is increasing, despite a break at the age of 18 and young people leaving for the mainland. He emphasized the need for good facilities and the importance of continuing to open up to female categories, mentioning the Federation's plans to set up touch rugby in view of the Games.

Next tournament in Moorea

Starting this weekend, rugby players are expected on the field of Moorea for the rugby sevens Challenge, where the Pirae-Paea alliance will also be participating. Tournament results include Paea-Pirae defeating RSMA (24-5), Punaauia defeating RSMA (33-5), Papeete defeating RSMA (29-21), and Punaauia defeating Paea-Pirae (10-12).