# 2023 Rugby League Pacific Championships

The 2023 Rugby League Pacific Championships was the second edition of the Rugby League Pacific Championships 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.
A total of 101 tries were scored in the 13 full international matches at an average of 7.8 tries per game. There were 67 tries in the eight men's games (average 8.4) and 34 tries in five women's matches (average 6.8). A further ten tries were scored in the men's match between New Zealand A and Tonga A. Top try-scorer honours were shared by three men's players: Nene McDonald, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Jamayne Isaako, with four tries each. The top try-scorers from the women's internationals, with three each, were Abigail Roache and Mele Hufanga.

## Background

The Pacific Rugby League Championships was announced August 2023, as part of a $7 million investment by the NRL and Australian Government to develop rugby league in the surrounding countries. The tournament serves a continuation of the Oceania Cup which had one edition in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The inaugural Pacific Championships would be held across Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.

## Teams
### Men's teams

| Competition | Team | World ranking | Coach | Captain |
| Pacific Cup | Australia | 1 | Mal Meninga | James Tedesco |
| Pacific Cup | New Zealand | 2 | Michael Maguire | James Fisher-Harris |
| Pacific Cup | Samoa | 3 | Ben Gardiner | Junior Paulo |
| Pacific Bowl | Cook Islands | 13 | Karmichael Hunt | Brad Takairangi |
| Pacific Bowl | Fiji | 7 | Wise Kativerata | Tui Kamikamica |
| Pacific Bowl | Papua New Guinea | 6 | Justin Holbrook | Kyle Laybutt |

### Women's teams

| Competition | Team | World ranking | Coach | Captain |
| Women | Australia | 1 | Brad Donald | Kezie Apps and Ali Brigginshaw |
| Women | Cook Islands | 6 | Rusty Matua | Ngatokotoru Arakua |
| Women | Fiji | 19 | Josaia Dakuitoga | Josephine Maejiirs |
| Women | New Zealand | 2 | Ricky Henry | Georgia Hale and Raecene McGregor |
| Women | Papua New Guinea | 5 | Ben Jeffries | Sera Koroi and Belinda Gwasamun (replaced the named but injured Elsie Albert) |
| Women | Samoa | 20 | Jamie Soward | Niall Williams Guthrie |
| Women | Tonga | 16 | Kelvin Wright | Tiana Penitani |

## Venues

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. Appointments for week two were announced on 17 October 2023, with several changes of role.

## Pacific Cup
### Standings

| Pos. | Team | Pld. | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff. | Pts. | Qualification |
| 1 | Australia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 30 | +44 | 4 | Advance to Pacific Cup Final |
| 2 | New Zealand | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 68 | 36 | +32 | 2 | Advance to Pacific Cup Final |
| 3 | Samoa | 2 | 0 | 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)
* 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)
* 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)
* 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 Referee: Adam Gee (Australia) Touch judges: Dave Munro (Australia), Chris Sutton (Australia)

## Pacific Bowl
### Standings

| Pos. | Team | Pld. | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff. | Pts. | Qualification |
| 1 | Fiji | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 34 | +31 | 4 | Advance to Pacific Bowl Final |
| 2 | Papua New Guinea | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 62 | 53 | +9 | 2 | Advance to Pacific Bowl Final |
| 3 | Cook Islands | 2 | 0 | 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 Referee: Peter Gough (Australia) Video Referee: Chris Butler (Australia) Touch judges: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski (Australia), Drew Oultram (Australia)
* 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 Referee: Ashley Klein (Australia) Touch judges: Liam Kennedy (Australia), Todd Smith (Australia)
* 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)
* 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: 0–26 2nd: 12–6 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)

## 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)
* 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)
* 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)
* 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 Referee: Belinda Sharpe (Australia)
* 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)

## 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

## Attendance

The combined attendance for the eight game days was 118,986.
* Australia 38,728 for the two double-headers in Townsville (18,144) and Melbourne (20,584).
* New Zealand 36,769 for the triple-header in Auckland (23,269) and men's Cup final in Hamilton (13,500).
* Papua New Guinea 43,489 for the four game days in Port Moresby. Note that the first two of the four attendance figures (7,133, 7,001, 14,546, and 14,809) are as published on the Rugby League Project website.
* The combined attendance total counts attendees of each double-header match, and triple-header in Auckland, just once.
* Average attendance for the eight game days is 14,873.