Nicknames | Tahiti Nui XV, Aito | ||
---|---|---|---|
Union | Fédération Tahitienne de Rugby de Polynésie Française | ||
Head coach | Romi Ropati | ||
Captain | Tunui Anania | ||
Top scorer | Manuarii Richmond | ||
Top try scorer | Manuarii Richmond | ||
Home stadium | Stade Pater Te Hono Nui | ||
| |||
World Rugby ranking | |||
Current | 96 (as of 23 November 2020) | ||
First international | |||
Tahiti 0–3 Wallis and Futuna (1 September 1971) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Tahiti 36–12 Solomon Islands (26 August 2015) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Tahiti 9–102 Fiji (12 September 1983) | |||
The Tahiti national rugby union team is a third tier rugby union team, representing the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France. They first played in 1971 and have played numerous games to date, most against rivals Cook Islands and several against Niue. Other games have been played against Samoa, Wallis and Futuna, Papua New Guinea and Tonga. France played a match against Tahiti at the end of their 1979 tour and won 92–12.[1] Plans to have annual "test" match series against Pacific island neighbours, New Caledonia have been put on hold, due to time, availability, finances, and coaching and refereeing resources. They have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. Rugby union in Tahiti is administered by the Fédération Tahitienne de Rugby de Polynésie Française. Currently, players who have represented or played for the Tahiti national rugby team, are eligible to represent France. However, playing at a professional level can only enable this. At present there are several Tahitian professional rugby players abroad in France's Top 14 and Pro D2 professional competition.