Rugby union in the Solomon Islands

Rugby union in the Solomon Islands
Country Solomon Islands
Governing body Solomon Islands Rugby Union
National team Solomon Islands
Registered players 3,068
Clubs 24
National competitions

Rugby union in Solomon Islands is a popular sport.[1] The national team have competed in various international competitions. They are currently ranked 69th by the IRB, with 3068 registered players and 24 clubs.[2]

Governing body

The governing body is the Solomon Islands Rugby Union.[3]

History

Rugby union continues to be a popular sport in the Solomon Islands despite aggressive occasional overtures from rugby league. Despite large amounts of money and advertising, the Solomon Islanders remained loyal to rugby union, and rugby league in the islands underwent a ten-year hibernation.[4] These efforts have now been compounded by Rupert Murdoch backed television, but still without little return from the vast amounts of money spent.

Delegates from the Solomon Islands were amongst those who went to the centenary congress of the International Rugby Football Board in 1986.[5]

Like many Pacific archipelagos, rugby sevens is the preferred code, and there are regular competitions.[6]

There is also a successful schools competition.[7]

National team

The Solomon Islands national rugby union team played their first international at 18 August 1969, losing to Papua New Guinea by 23-5. Their next game, three days later, with Fiji show their record loss of 113-13. Both games were part of the 3rd South Pacific Games. Since then they have played in only a small number of internationals. Their first win came in 1983, in a 19-12 win over Niue, for the 7th South Pacific Games.

References

  1. ↑ South Pacific and Micronesia. Lonely Planet. 2006. p. 53. ISBN 1-74104-304-2.
  2. ↑ "International Rugby Board - World Rankings".
  3. ↑ http://www.irb.com/unions/union=11000092/index.html retrieved 3 July 2009
  4. ↑ "Solomon Islands Rugby League Planet". Rugby League Planet. 2009-06-18. Retrieved 2009-06-18.
  5. ↑ Starmer-Smith, p186
  6. ↑ http://solomonstarnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9985&Itemid=42
  7. ↑ http://solomonstarnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9060&Itemid=42
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