29 Oct 2008

New Zealand hosts bi-ennial Military Pacific Nations Cup

11:17 am on 29 October 2008

The New Zealand Defence Force is hosting 180 rugby players from the Australian and Pacific Military for the second of their bi-ennial tournaments

The first was held in Australia in 2006.

This year a team from New Caledonia, bolstered by ten French players and teams from Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Australia will take part in the week long tournament.

Commander Sean Fogerty says New Zealand and Australia regularly work alongside many of the defence forces in the Pacific region and the tournament is the informal part of that relationship.

"Well it's wonderful to get more than a couple of nations together at once cause we do a lot of bilateral arrangements and exercises but to get the five nations together in one place at one time is fantastic."

Fiji won the inaugural title in Australia but because of the sanctions placed on that country by the New Zealand government will not attend this year's tournament.