2023 Rugby League Pacific Championships

2023 (2023) Rugby League Pacific Championships ()
2023 Rugby League Pacific Championships
Number of teams	6 (men) ; 7 (women)
Host countries	Australia; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea
Winner	New Zealand (Cup) ; Papua New Guinea (Bowl)
	< 2020 2024 >

The 2023 Rugby League Pacific Championships was the second edition of the Rugby League Pacific Championship and the first under its current name (having previously been called the Oceania Cup in 2019). The championship included a collection of international rugby league tournaments to be played from October to November 2023 between nations located in the Pacific region.

The competition was played in three groupings: the Pacific Cup for higher ranking men's teams, the Pacific Bowl for lower ranking men's teams, and a section of women's matches played throughout.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

Teams

Squads

Men's teams

Competition	Team	World ranking	Coach	Captain	Ref
Pacific Cup	Australia	1	Mal Meninga	James Tedesco	^[6]^[7]^[8]
	New Zealand	2	Michael Maguire	James Fisher-Harris	^[9]^[10]
	Samoa	3	Ben Gardiner	Junior Paulo	^[11]^[12]
Pacific Bowl	Cook Islands	13	Karmichael Hunt	Brad Takairangi	^[13]
	Fiji	7	Wise Kativerata	Tui Kamikamica	^[14]^[15]^[16]
	Papua New Guinea	6	Justin Holbrook	Kyle Laybutt	^[17]^[18]

Women's teams

Competition	Team	World ranking	Coach	Captain	Ref
Women	Australia	1	Brad Donald	Kezie Apps and Ali Brigginshaw	^[19]^[8]
	Cook Islands	6
	Fiji	19	Josaia Dakuitoga	Josephine Maejiirs	^[20]^[16]
	New Zealand	2	Ricky Henry	Georgia Hale and Raecene McGregor	^[9]^[21]
	Papua New Guinea	5	Ben Jeffries	Elsie Albert	^[22]^[23]
	Samoa	20	Jamie Soward	Niall Williams Guthrie	^[11]^[24]
	Tonga	16	Kelvin Wright	Tiana Penitani	^[25]

Venues

1200km
820miles

5

4

3

2

1

Host venues

1

Eden Park, Auckland

2

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

3

Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne

4

PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby

5

North Queensland Stadium, Townsville

Five venues across three countries were selected to host the Championships.

Auckland, New Zealand: Eden Park hosted three matches on 21 October 2023, including the second Pacific Cup match between New Zealand and Samoa, a women's match between New Zealand and Tonga, and a men's match between New Zealand A and Tonga A.
Hamilton, New Zealand: Waikato Stadium hosted the Pacific Cup final on 4 November 2023.
Melbourne, Australia: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium hosted a double-header on 28 October 2023, which featured men's and women's matches between Australia and New Zealand.
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: PNG Football Stadium hosted all four Pacific Bowl matches, including the final, over a four-week period, as well as two women's matches.
Townsville, Australia: North Queensland Stadium hosted a women's match between Australia and New Zealand and the first Pacific Cup match between Australia and Samoa on 14 October 2023.

Officiating

Referees and side-line officials for week one matches were announced on 10 October 2023.^[26] Appointments for week two were announced on 17 October 2023, with several changes of role.^[27]

Pacific Cup

Standings

Pos.	Team	Pld.	W	L	PF	PA	Diff.	Pts.	Qualification
1	Australia	2	2	0	74	30	+44	4	Advance to Pacific Cup Final
2	New Zealand	2	1	1	68	36	+32	2	Advance to Pacific Cup Final
3	Samoa	2	0	2	12	88	–76	0

NB: Tonga were intended to participate but had already arranged a tour of England before the tournament was announced.

Fixtures

14 October 2023
19:10 AEST (UTC+10:00)

Australia	38–12	Samoa
Tries: Haas 4' Tedesco 9' Fa'asuamaleaui 12' Murray 15' Tabuai-Fidow (2) 39', 54' Staggs 79' c Goals: Staggs (5/7) 5', 13', 17', 40', 80'	1st: 28–6 2nd: 10–6 Report	Tries: Taulagi 18' Leilua 72' Goals: Crichton (2/2) 20', 74'

Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 18,144
Referee: Grant Atkins (Australia)
Video Referee: Ashley Klein (Australia)
Touch judges: Phil Henderson (Australia), Wyatt Raymond (Australia)

**Team details**
Australia		Position	Samoa
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
James Tedesco	1	FB	1	Sualauvi Faalogo
Dylan Edwards	2	WG	2	Murray Taulagi
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow	3	CE	3	Izack Tago
Kotoni Staggs	4	CE	4	Young Tonumaipea
Selwyn Cobbo	5	WG	5	Brian To'o
Cameron Munster	6	SO/FE	6	Stephen Crichton
Daly Cherry-Evans	7	SH/HB	7	Daejarn Asi
Payne Haas	8	PR	8	Stefano Utoikamanu
Ben Hunt	9	HK	19	Justin Matamua
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui	10	PF	10	Junior Paulo
Cameron Murray	11	SR	11	Luciano Leilua
Liam Martin	12	SR	12	Connelly Lemuelu
Isaah Yeo	13	LF/LK	13	Keenan Palasia
Harry Grant	14	IN	9	Gordon Chan Kum Tong
Lindsay Collins	15	IN	14	Spencer Leniu
Patrick Carrigan	16	IN	15	Terrell May
Reuben Cotter	17	IN	16	Heilum Luki
Nicho Hynes	18	CS	18	Royce Hunt
Mal Meninga		Coach		Ben Gardiner

21 October 2023
18:00 NZDT (UTC+13:00)

New Zealand	50–0	Samoa
Tries: Isaako (2) 13', 24' Hughes 22' Asofa-Solomona 44' Papali'i 48' Mulitalo (2) 60', 73' Nikora 63' c Fisher-Harris 76' Goals: Isaako (7/9) 14', 23', 26', 45', 65', 75', 78'	1st: 18–0 2nd: 32–0 Report

Eden Park, Auckland
Attendance: 23,269
Referee: Gerard Sutton (Australia)
Touch judges: Dave Munro (Australia), Chris Sutton (Australia)

**Team details**
New Zealand		Position	Samoa
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	1	FB	1	Sualauvi Faalogo
Ronaldo Mulitalo	2	WG	2	Murray Taulagi
Matthew Timoko	3	CE	4	Marion Seve
Joseph Manu	4	CE	21	Tommy Talau
Jamayne Isaako	5	WG	20	Greg Marzhew
Dylan Brown	6	SO/FE	6	Stephen Crichton
Jahrome Hughes	7	SH/HB	7	Daejarn Asi
James Fisher-Harris	8	PR	8	Stefano Utoikamanu
Kieran Foran	14	HK	9	Gordon Chan Kum Tong
Moses Leota	10	PF	10	Junior Paulo
Isaiah Papali'i	11	SR	11	Luciano Leilua
Briton Nikora	12	SR	16	Heilum Luki
Joseph Tapine	13	LF/LK	14	Spencer Leniu
Fa'amanu Brown	9	IN	13	Keenan Palasia
Nelson Asofa-Solomona	15	IN	15	Terrell May
Griffin Neame	16	IN	18	Royce Hunt
Leo Thompson	17	IN	19	Ronald Volkman
Naufahu Whyte	18	CS	17	Justin Matamua
Michael Maguire		Coach		Ben Gardiner

28 October 2023
20:10 AEDT (UTC+11:00)

Australia	36–18	New Zealand
Tries: Holmes 8' Collins (2) 21', 30' Edwards 50' Hunt 77' Murray 79' Goals: Holmes (6/7) 9', 22', 31', 51', 65', 78'	1st: 18–12 2nd: 18–6 Report	Tries: Nikora 17' Mulitalo 38' Brown 69' Goals: Isaako (3/3) 19', 39', 71'

AAMI Park, Melbourne
Attendance: 20,584
Referee: Adam Gee (Australia)
Touch judges: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski (Australia), Drew Oultram (Australia)

**Team details**
Australia		Position	New Zealand
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
James Tedesco	1	FB	1
Dylan Edwards	2	WG	2
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow	3	CE	3
Kotoni Staggs	4	CE	4
Valentine Holmes	5	WG	5
Cameron Munster	6	SO/FE	6
Daly Cherry-Evans	7	SH/HB	7
Jake Trbojevic	8	PR	8
Ben Hunt	9	HK	9
Thomas Flegler	10	PF	10
Cameron Murray	11	SR	11
Reuben Cotter	12	SR	12
Isaah Yeo	13	LF/LK	13
Harry Grant	14	IN
Lindsay Collins	15	IN
Patrick Carrigan	16	IN
Nicho Hynes	17	IN
Liam Martin	18	CS
Mal Meninga		Coach		Michael Maguire

Final

4 November 2023
17:00 NZDT (UTC+13:00)

Australia	0–30	New Zealand
	1st: 0–12 2nd: 0–18 Report	Tries: Mulitalo 14' Isaako (2) 34', 47' Timoko 59' Neame 70' Goals: Isaako (4/5) 16', 35', 61', 72' Field goals: Isaako (1/1) 67'

FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Attendance: 13,269^[28]
Referee: Adam Gee (Australia)
Touch judges: Dave Munro (Australia), Chris Sutton (Australia)

**Team details**
Australia		Position	New Zealand
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
	1	FB	1
	2	WG	2
	3	CE	3
	4	CE	4
	5	WG	5
	6	SO/FE	6
	7	SH/HB	7
	8	PR	8
	9	HK	9
	10	PF	10
	11	SR	11
	12	SR	12
	13	LF/LK	13
		IN
		IN
		IN
		IN
		CS

Pacific Bowl

Standings

Pos.	Team	Pld.	W	L	PF	PA	Diff.	Pts.	Qualification
1	Fiji	2	2	0	65	34	+31	4	Advance to Pacific Bowl Final
2	Papua New Guinea	2	1	1	62	53	+9	2	Advance to Pacific Bowl Final
3	Cook Islands	2	0	2	28	68	–40	0

Fixtures

15 October 2023
15:00 PNGST (UTC+10:00)

Papua New Guinea	46–10	Cook Islands
Tries: Z. Laybutt 7', 39' Derby 12' Kapinias 15' Richard 22' Macdonald 26', 41', 42', 76' Goals: Z. Laybutt (5/9) 14', 16', 23', 41', 44'	1st: 30–0 2nd: 16–10 Report	Tries: E. Ioka 48' S. Marsters 58' Goals: E. Ioka (1/1) 60' Takairangi (0/1)

National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Attendance: 7,133^[29]
Referee: Peter Gough (Australia)
Video Referee: Chris Butler (Australia)
Touch judges: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski (Australia), Drew Oultram (Australia)

**Team details**
Papua New Guinea		Position	Cook Islands
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
	1	FB	1
	2	WG	2
	3	CE	3
	4	CE	4
	5	WG	5
	6	SO/FE	6
	7	SH/HB	7
	8	PR	8
	9	HK	9
	10	PF	10
	11	SR	11
	12	SR	12
	13	LF/LK	13
		IN
		IN
		IN
		IN
		CS

22 October 2023
15:00 PNGST (UTC+10:00)

Fiji	22–18	Cook Islands
Tries: Sivo 24' Bula 55' Blake 67' Turuva 74' Goals: Wakeham (3/4) 56', 68', 75'	1st: 4–6 2nd: 18–12 Report	Tries: E. Marsters 18' E. Ioka 46' Cooper-Tetevano 71' Goals: S. Marsters (3/3) 19', 47', 72'

National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Attendance: 7,001^[30]
Referee: Ashley Klein (Australia)
Touch judges: Liam Kennedy (Australia), Todd Smith (Australia)

**Team details**
Fiji		Position	Cook Islands
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
Jahream Bula	1	FB	1	Esom Ioka
Maika Sivo	2	WG	2	Malachi Morgan
Sunia Turuva	3	CE	3	Kayal Iro
Waqa Blake	4	CE	4	Alvin Maungaati
Mikaele Ravalawa	5	WG	5	Steven Marsters
Kurt Donoghoe	6	SO/FE	6	Brad Takairangi
Brandon Wakeham	7	SH/HB	7	Esan Marsters
Tui Kamikamica	8	PR	8	Davvy Moale
Noah Nailagoliva	14	HK	9	Rua Ngatikaura
Gordon Whippy	16	PF	17	Takai Mokohar
Kitione Kautoga	11	SR	11	Zane Tetevano
Taane Milne	13	SR	12	Reuben Porter
Caleb Navale	15	LF/LK	13	Pride Petterson-Robati
Penioni Tagituimua	9	IN	10	William Samuel
Apisalome Saukuru	12	IN	14	Kadiyae Ioka
Watisoni Waqanisaravi	17	IN	15	Rhys Dakin
Sirilo Lovokuro	20	IN	16	Justin Estall-Makirere
Pio Seci	21	CS

29 October 2023
15:00 PNGST (UTC+10:00)

Papua New Guinea	16–43	Fiji
Tries: Johnston 2' Kot 61' Kapinias 72' Goals: Martin (2/3) 62', 73'	1st: 4–19 2nd: 12–24 Report	Tries: Donoghoe (2) 12', 32' Kamikamica 17' Sivo (2) 46', 48' Navale 55' Qareqare 65' Goals: Wakeham (7/8) 13', 18', 33', 48', 57', 66', 69' Field goals: Wakeham (1/1) 39'

National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Attendance: 14,546
Referee: Ashley Klein (Australia)
Touch judges: Peter Gough (Australia), Phil Henderson (Australia)

**Team details**
Papua New Guinea		Position	Fiji
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
Alex Johnston	1	FB	1	Jahream Bula
Robert Derby	2	WG	2	Maika Sivo
Zac Laybutt	3	CE	4	Waqa Blake
Benji Kot	4	CE	5	Mikaele Ravalawa
Nene Macdonald	5	WG	18	Jason Qareqare
Kyle Laybutt	6	SO/FE	6	Kurt Donoghoe
Lachlan Lam	7	SH/HB	7	Brandon Wakeham
Epel Kapinias	8	PR	8	Tui Kamikamica
Edwin Ipape	9	HK	9	Penioni Tagituimua
Valentine Richard	10	PF	10	King Vuniyayawa
Rhyse Martin	11	SR	12	Apisalome Saukuru
Daniel Russell	12	SR	13	Taane Milne
Jack de Belin	13	LF/LK	15	Caleb Navale
Judah Rimbu	14	IN	14	Noah Nailagoliva
Wellington Albert	15	IN	16	Gordon Whippy
Keven Appo	16	IN	19	Mesake Ravonu
Jacob Alick	17	IN	20	Sirilo Lovokuro
Liam Horne	18	CS	21	Pio Seci
Justin Holbrook		Coach		Waisake Kativerata

Final

5 November 2023
15:00 PNGST (UTC+10:00)

Fiji	12–32	Papua New Guinea
Tries: Blake (2) 42', 68' Goals: Wakeham (2/2) 42', 69'	1st: 26–0 2nd: 6–12 Report	Tries: Ipape 15' Derby (2) 23', 28' Johnston 38' Kapinias 75' Goals: Martin (5/5) 16', 25', 29', 39', 77'

National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Attendance: 14,809
Referee: Grant Atkins (Australia)
Touch judges: Liam Kennedy (Australia), Todd Smith (Australia)

**Team details**
Papua New Guinea		Position	Fiji
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
Alex Johnston	1	FB	1	Jahream Bula
Robert Derby	2	WG	2	Maika Sivo
Zac Laybutt	3	CE	4	Waqa Blake
Rodrick Tai	4	CE	5	Mikaele Ravalawa
Nene Macdonald	5	WG	18	Jason Qareqare
Kyle Laybutt	6	SO/FE	6	Kurt Donoghoe
Lachlan Lam	7	SH/HB	7	Brandon Wakeham
Epel Kapinias	8	PR	8	Tui Kamikamica
Edwin Ipape	9	HK	9	Penioni Tagituimua
Valentine Richard	10	PF	10	King Vuniyayawa
Rhyse Martin	11	SR	12	Apisalome Saukuru
Daniel Russell	12	SR	13	Taane Milne
Jack de Belin	13	LF/LK	15	Caleb Navale
Judah Rimbu	14	IN	11	Kitione Kautoga
Liam Horne	15	IN	16	Gordon Whippy
Junior Rop	16	IN	17	Watisoni Waqanisaravi
Nixon Putt	17	IN	21	Pio Seci
Jacob Alick	18	CS	20	Sirilo Lovokuro
Justin Holbrook		Coach		Waisake Kativerata

Women's games

A series of matches involving seven Women's teams was announced, however the number of matches to be played is irregular and there will be no semi-finals or final.

Teams

Australia, 2 matches
Cook Islands, 1 match
Fiji, 1 match
New Zealand, 3 matches
Papua New Guinea, 1 match
Samoa, 1 match
Tonga, 1 match

Fixtures

14 October 2023
17:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)

Australia	16–10	New Zealand
Tries: Upton (2) 4', 31' Johnston 25' Goals: Brigginshaw (2/3) 5', 26'	Report	Tries: Biddle 12' Hufanga 43' Goals: McGregor (1/2) 44'

Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 12,067
Referee: Todd Smith (Australia)
Video Referee: Ashley Klein (Australia)
Touch judges: Belinda Sharpe (Australia), Darian Furner (Australia)

**Team details**
Australia		Position	New Zealand
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
	1	FB	1
	2	WG	2
	3	CE	3
	4	CE	4
	5	WG	5
	6	SO/FE	6
	7	SH/HB	7
	8	PR	8
	9	HK	9
	10	PF	10
	11	SR	11
	12	SR	12
	13	LF/LK	13
		IN
		IN
		IN
		IN
		CS

15 October 2023
12:45 AEST (UTC+10:00)

Samoa	26–12	Fiji
Tries: Tui (2) 10', 42' Mapusua (2) 21', 68' Nu'uausala 31' Goals: Piliae-Rasabale (3/5) 22', 32', 70'	Report	Tries: Naikore 5', 54' Namoce 57'

Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Referee: Liam Kennedy (Australia)
Video Referee: Chris Butler (Australia)
Touch judges: David Munro (Australia), Chris Sutton (Australia)

**Team details**
Samoa		Position	Fiji
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
	1	FB	1
	2	WG	2
	3	CE	3
	4	CE	4
	5	WG	5
	6	SO/FE	6
	7	SH/HB	7
	8	PR	8
	9	HK	9
	10	PF	10
	11	SR	11
	12	SR	12
	13	LF/LK	13
		IN
		IN
		IN
		IN
		CS

21 October 2023
15:45 NZDT (UTC+13:00)

New Zealand	28–10	Tonga
Tries: Roache (3) 5', 10', 46' Pasikala 38' Hufanga 58' Goals: McGregor (2/6) 12', 40'	Report	Tries: Penitani (2) 25', 55' Goals: Hifo (1/2) 27'

Eden Park, Auckland
Attendance: ≈10,000
Referee: Wyatt Raymond (Australia)

**Team details**
New Zealand		Position	Tonga
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
	1	FB	1
	2	WG	2
	3	CE	3
	4	CE	4
	5	WG	5
	6	SO/FE	6
	7	SH/HB	7
	8	PR	8
	9	HK	9
	10	PF	10
	11	SR	11
	12	SR	12
	13	LF/LK	13
		IN
		IN
		IN
		IN
		CS

22 October 2023
12:45 AEST (UTC+10:00)

Papua New Guinea	28–20	Cook Islands
Tries: Kapo 9' Banu 18' Allan (2) 22', 48' Kerowa 34' Norris 44' Goals: Veivers (2/6) 10', 20'	Report	Tries: Makira 14' Rewi 26' Takairangi 58' Holloway-Samuels 63' Goals: Kiria-Ratu (2/4) 16', 65'

Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Attendance: 7,001^[31]
Referee: Belinda Sharpe (Australia)

**Team details**
Papua New Guinea		Position	Cook Islands
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
	1	FB	1
	2	WG	2
	3	CE	3
	4	CE	4
	5	WG	5
	6	SO/FE	6
	7	SH/HB	7
	8	PR	8
	9	HK	9
	10	PF	10
	11	SR	11
	12	SR	12
	13	LF/LK	13
		IN
		IN
		IN
		IN
		CS

28 October 2023
18:00 AEDT (UTC+11:00)

Australia	6–12	New Zealand
Tries: Chapman 9' Goals: Brown (1/1) 10'	Report	Tries: Hufanga 34' Tufuga 62' Goals: McGregor (2/2) 35', 64'

AAMI Park, Melbourne
Attendance: 10,536
Referee: Belinda Sharpe (Australia)

**Team details**
Australia		Position	New Zealand
Name	Number	Position	Number	Name
	1	FB	1
	2	WG	2
	3	CE	3
	4	CE	4
	5	WG	5
	6	SO/FE	6
	7	SH/HB	7
	8	PR	8
	9	HK	9
	10	PF	10
	11	SR	11
	12	SR	12
	13	LF/LK	13
		IN
		IN
		IN
		IN
		CS

Other matches

21 October 2023

New Zealand A	36–26	Tonga A
Tries: Warbrick 2, Howarth, Kini, Roache, Leiataua Goals: Tuaupiki 6	Report (NZRL)	Tries: Koloamatangi-Kalepo, Finefeuiaki, Foketi, Francis Goals: Teaupa 3

Eden Park, Auckland

References

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[2]

[3]

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[5]

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[21]

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Search

2023 Rugby League Pacific Championships

Contents

Teams

Squads

Men's teams

Women's teams

Venues

Officiating

Pacific Cup

Standings

Fixtures

Pacific Bowl

Standings

Fixtures

Women's games

Teams

Fixtures

Other matches

References

2023 (2023) Rugby League Pacific Championships ()
Number of teams	6 (men) 7 (women)
Host countries	Australia New Zealand Papua New Guinea
Winner	New Zealand (Cup) Papua New Guinea (Bowl)
< 2020 2024 >