# Pacific Rim Championship

The 2004 Pacific Rim Championship and the 2004 Pacific Cup was the 9th Pacific Cup, a rugby league tournament held between Pacific teams. The tournament was hosted in Auckland and for the first time split into two competitions; The Pacific Rim Championship between national teams and the Pacific Cup between Auckland-based selections. In the final of the Pacific Rim competition the Cook Islands defeated New Zealand Māori 46-6 while Samoa XIII defeated Tonga XIII 52–18 to win the Pacific Cup.

## Background

The tournament, organised by both the New Zealand Rugby League and Pacific Island Rugby League Association (PIRLA), was a revival of the Pacific Cup which had not been held since 1997 due to the Super League war. The aim of the Pacific Rim Championship was to promote awareness of the game in the region with a view to re-establishing international fixtures and full contact with the main nations Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand in the near future.
The teams that participated in the 2004 Pacific Rim competition were: Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand Māori, Niue, Samoa and the Cook Islands. The Pacific Cup included Auckland Māori, New Caledonia, Samoa XIII, Tonga XIII and two other teams.
The official opening was held as part of the pre-match programme for the Tri-Nations test match between Australia and the New Zealand Kiwis on 16 October. A colourful parade of flags representing the participating countries was led into the stadium in front of about 20,000 spectators before kick-off.
Matches were played at Waitemata Stadium, Ericsson Stadium and North Harbour Stadium.

## Squads

The Pacific Rim competition featured international and New Zealand based players while the Pacific Cup squads were limited to Auckland-based players with the exception of New Caledonia who sent a development squad.

### Pacific Rim squads
#### New Zealand Māori

New Zealand Māori were coached by Tawera Nikau who was assisted by Terry Hermansson.
| Player | Club |
| Sam Andrews | Waicoa Bay Stallions |
| Kurt Cawdron | Auckland Lions |
| Taite Daniels | Northern Storm |
| Teteira Davis | Wellington Orcas |
| Willy Henare | Auckland Lions |
| Aoterangi Herangi | Auckland Lions |
| Charlie Herekotukutuku | Canterbury Bulls |
| Nathan Hohaia | Taranaki Wildcats |
| Shane Wallacehoskin | Taranaki Wildcats |
| Odell Manuel | Auckland Lions |
| Tukua Matthews | Waicoa Bay Stallions |
| Vern Moana-Mason | Waicoa Bay Stallions |
| Glen Rota | Auckland Lions |
| Peter Prime | Northern Storm |
| Herewini Rangi | Eastern Tornadoes |
| Kererua Savage | Hawke's Bay Unicorns |
| Barry Tawera | Waicoa Bay Stallions |
| Sonny Whakarau | Central Falcons |
| Mike Whakatihi | Central Falcons |
| Vince Whare | Canterbury Bulls |

#### Fiji

The Fijian squad was composed mainly of locally based players.
* Player
* Isimeli Soqe
* Iowane Divavesi
* Lusio Tanoa
* Neori Ravono
* Saula Lalagavesi
* Saimoni Ralulu
* Toakula Tuqiri
* Alipate Tuinivata
* Saverio Matairakula
* Atekini Roko
* Sevanaia Koroi
* Asaeli Saravaki
* Marika Koroivui
* Lagilagi Golea
* Semesa Cadrakilagi
* Tevita Volavola
* Joji Nuidamu
* Jone Wesele
* Semisi Tora

## Pacific Rim Competition
### Pool A

* 17 October 2004
| Māori | 54 – 4 | Niue |
* North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
* 19 October 2004
| Samoa | 36 – 18 | Niue |
* Auckland
* 21 October 2004
| Māori | 70 – 10 | Samoa |
| Try: Davis (3), Hohaia, Herekotukutuku, Moana-Mason, Herangi, Prime, Rangi, Savage, Whakatihi Goal: Davis (13) | | Try: Ropati, Tavita Goal: Ropati |
* Ericsson Stadium, Auckland

### Pool B

* 17 October 2004
| Fiji | 6 – 56 | Tonga |
| | report | |
* Auckland
* 19 October 2004
| Cook Islands | 18 – 10 | Tonga |
| Try: B. Ford, N. Ford, Taia Goal: Mataora (3) | | Try: Sete, Taufaʻao Goal: Lilo |
* Auckland
* 21 October 2004
| Cook Islands | 20 – 12 | Fiji |
| Try: Epati, Glassie, Taia Goal: Mataora (4) | | Try: Saravaki, Soqe Goal: Tinivata (2) |
* Auckland

### Bowl Final

* 23 October 2004
| Fiji | 34 – 24 | Niue |
| Try: Saravaki (2) Tora, Karaitiana, Koroi, Tanoa Goal: Tanoa (4), Saravaki | | Try: Ikinofo, Vasau, Pulesea, Pesene, Talafagi Goal: Logopati (2) |
* North Harbour Stadium, Auckland

### Grand Final

* 23 October 2004
| Cook Islands | 46 – 4 | Māori |
| Try: B. Ford (3), N. Ford (2), Jeffries, Mitchell, Pritchard, Tuakura Goal: Mataora (5) | | Try: Prime |
* North Harbour Stadium, Auckland

## Pacific Cup
### Pool A

* 17 October 2004
| Samoa XIII | 44 – 10 | Auckland Māori |
* Auckland
* 18 October 2004
| Auckland Māori | 70 – 0 | New Caledonia |
* Auckland
* 20 October 2004
| Samoa XIII | 76 – 0 | New Caledonia |
* Auckland

### Pool B

* 17 October 2004
| Tonga XIII | 22 – 17 | Cook Islands XIII |
* Auckland
* 18 October 2004
| Tonga XIII | 22 – 18 | American Samoa |
* Auckland
* 20 October 2004
| Cook Islands XIII | 28 – 12 | American Samoa |
* Auckland

### Final

* 23 October 2004
| Samoa XIII | 52 – 18 | Tonga XIII |
* North Harbour Stadium, Auckland