Only days after Niue claimed the 2008 Oceania Cup title with a 27-5 defeat of New Caledonia in Noumea, the focus now turns to the region’s future when the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU) Under 19 Championship kicks off in Fiji on Wednesday.

Six teams will contest the regional tournament from 3-12 September, Samoa, Tonga and host nation Fiji grouped together in Pool A and Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Tahiti making up Pool B and vying for the region’s place at next year’s IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy.
 
For the duration of the tournament, each team will be hosted by a local village – Papua New Guinea in Narewa, Tahiti in Nawaka, Tonga in Vatutu, Vanuatu in Yayusania and Samoa in Navoci – and the welcome given to the Samoans on arrival in Navoci certainly left its mark on their assistant coach Brian Lima, who has seen his share of tournament welcomes after becoming the only man to play in five Rugby World Cups last year.

“We felt like we belonged, we felt at home the instant we arrived to a wonderful reception by the villagers who were dressed in our colours,” said Lima. “All that feeling of missing home disappeared the moment we arrived.
 
“I believe it was a great motivating factor for the boys, especially those who are making their first trip in Fiji or abroad for that matter. We all know what it’s like to visit a new place for the first time, it takes time for one to adapt and it’s always a challenge.

Samoa's new fans

“To us, the reception also meant we didn’t need to worry about a cheering squad at all our games in the FORU U19 tournament. We also know that we need not worry about our well-being here as we know we will be looked after well.”

The three Pool A teams have already confirmed their places at the IRB Junior World Championship in Japan next year, having finished seventh (Samoa), 13th (Tonga) and 14th (Fiji) in the inaugural tournament this year.

While they will be vying for the 2008 Oceania Under 19  title, for Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Tahiti the prize of representing Oceania at the next year’s IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) is the chief motivation.

The Cook Islands were FORU’s representatives at the inaugural eight-team Junior World Rugby Trophy in Chile back in April, where they lost to the host nation, Romania and Namibia in Pool A before beating Jamaica 54-15 in the seventh place playoff.

Vanuatu and Tonga have the honour of kicking off the FORU Under 19 Championship at 12:00 local time on Wednesday, before Papua New Guinea face Tahiti and Samoa tackle Fiji at Prince Charles Park in Nadi.

Two further match days will take place in Nadi on Saturday and next Tuesday before the action moves to Churchill Park in Lautoka on 12 September, when the top two in Pool A battle for the Oceania Under 19 title and the top two in Pool B for the place at the JWRT.

Pools and Fixtures:

Pool A: Samoa, Tonga, Fiji
Pool B: Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Tahiti

Wednesday 3 September – Prince Charles Park, Nadi
12:00 – Tonga v Vanuatu
15:00 – Papua New Guinea v Tahiti
17:00 – Samoa v Fiji
 
Saturday 6 September – NZPTC, Nadi
10:00 – Fiji v Tahiti
13:00 – Papua New Guinea v Vanuatu
15:00 – Samoa v Tonga

Tuesday 9 September – Prince Charles Park, Nadi
12:00 – Samoa v Papua New Guinea
15:00 – Vanuatu v Tahiti
17:00 – Tonga v Fiji

Friday 12 September – Churchill Park, Lautoka
15:00 – 3rd Pool A v 3rd Pool B
17:00 – 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool B
19:00 – 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B