Country Niue First played Turn of 20th century Clubs 7 | National team Niue Registered players 290 | |
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Governing body Niue Rugby Football Union | ||
Rugby union in Niue is the most popular sport in the country. It is a tier-three rugby union playing nation.
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Governing body
The Niue Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in Niue. It was founded in 1952 and became affiliated to World Rugby (formerly the IDB) in 1999.
The Niue Rugby Football Union is a member of the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU). Niue was also a member of the former Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance and was eligible to supply players to the Pacific Islanders team.
History
They began playing international rugby union in the 1950s, and have yet to make the Rugby World Cup. Teams from Niue have competed in the Commonwealth Games.
When Niue competed in the 2001 Wellington 7s, they took a completely local-based squad, and though they scored tries against England and Canada, they were crushed in most games. Infamously, they surprised everyone by beating Japan 31-19 in 2002.
The New Zealand player Frank Bunce is the great nephew of Sir Robert Rex, the premier of Niue.
National team
The Niue national rugby union team first started playing in 1983. They have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup.
Niue won the current FORU Oceania Cup in 2008, defeatingNew Caledonia 27-5 in the final on 1 September 2008.