Pacific Magazine > Daily News

Samoa To Host IRB Sevens Rugby World Cup Qualifier

Monday: March 17, 2008

(Media release)

The Samoa Rugby Union is proud to announce that Samoa has won the bid to host the IRB Sevens Rugby World Cup Qualifying Tournament for the Oceania region.  This will be for both the Men and the Women’s Sevens teams who have not yet qualified for the IRB Sevens World Cup in Dubai from 05 – 07 March 2009.  Nine Unions have qualified directly for the Men’s Tournament.  A further 15 places will be filled via Qualifiers in all six regions.  Three qualifiers from Africa, two from North America, one from South America, two from Asia, five from Europe and two from Oceania.  For the Women’s Tournament, two qualifiers will come from Africa, two from North America, one from South America, three from Asia, six from Europe, and two from Oceania.

Prime Minister of Samoa and Chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union Hon. Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Malielegaoi at the media conference announcing Samoa’s hosting of the IRB Sevens RWC Oceania Qualifying Tournament.

The IRB Sevens Rugby World Cup Qualifying Tournament for Oceania is scheduled to be held in Apia from the 25 to the 26 of July 2008.  Samoa will see 8 Men’s teams and 6 Women’s teams battle it out for the Oceania’s final two spots each for the men and women’s competition in the World Cups Sevens.  Participating teams include PNG, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia and Cook Islands to name a few. 

The Samoa Rugby Union sees this opportunity as an ideal platform to demonstrate Samoa’s readiness and capacity to host IRB sanctioned rugby tournaments.  Attracting international matches and tournaments will not only assist with the SRU development objectives but it is also beneficial for the economy especially the hospitality industry. 

Three countries submitted bids to host the Oceania region qualifiers and Samoa won ahead of Tahiti and the Cook Islands.