Tahiti's U16 rugby team plays friendly matches

The Tahitian U16 rugby team played several friendly matches on Saturday against the Paita club from New Caledonia. These matches were part of their preparation for the Melanesian Cup, which will be held on October 21 and 22 in Noumea.

Melanesian Cup features multiple teams

The Melanesian Cup will include teams from New Caledonia, Tuvalu, Fiji, New Zealand, and four teams from New Caledonia itself. The Tahitian U16 team has not previously participated in this competition.

Event is a high-level rugby sevens tournament

According to the technical staff member of the Polynesian Rugby Federation, the Melanesian Cup will be a high-level international rugby sevens tournament. The Tahitian team's goal is to win, as with upcoming trips for the U14 and U18 teams, and they will assess their performance after each of the three events in the Pacific.

Tahitian players dominate first match

The Tahitian players approached their first friendly match against the Paita club on Saturday afternoon at the Punaruu stadium. The New Caledonian players had support from some elements of the Pirae group, but the match was one-sided, with the Tahitians winning 29-0, scoring five tries.

Tahiti wins rematch but faces challenges

A rematch was played after a short break, with the Tahitians again coming out as winners, 22-5. The coach of the U16 selection expressed satisfaction but remained cautious, noting that the other team was short on numbers. He also pointed out areas for improvement, such as discipline, as Tahiti received two yellow cards, which are particularly costly in rugby sevens.

Team travels with full squad

The team will travel with fifteen players, twelve players and three members of the staff, hoping to return with the Cup.