Rugby union
at the 1979 South Pacific Games
VenueNational Stadium, Suva
Dates30 August - September
Nations8
← 1971
1983 →

Rugby union at the 1979 South Pacific Games was held in Fiji at the newly renovated National Stadium in Suva,[1][2] with eight men's teams competing.[3] Tonga beat the host nation Fiji by 6–3 in the final to win the gold medal and finish the tournament undefeated.[4] New Caledonia defeated Western Samoa by 9–8 in the third place match to win the bronze medal.[5]

Medal summary

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Men's rugby 15s  Tonga  Fiji  New Caledonia

Men's tournament

Standings

Competition tables after the group stage:[3]

Group 1
Team Pld W D L Pts
 Fiji 3 3 0 0 6
 New Caledonia 3 2 0 1 4
 Papua New Guinea 3 1 0 2 2
 Wallis and Futuna 3 0 0 0 0
Group 2
Team Pld W D L Pts
 Tonga 3 3 0 0 6
 Western Samoa 3 2 0 1 4
 Solomon Islands 3 1 0 2 2
 Tahiti 3 0 0 0 0

Group A matches

Group A 30 August 1979 Fiji  86–0  Papua New Guinea National Stadium, Suva  
Group A 3 September 1979 *Fiji  60–3  New Caledonia National Stadium, Suva  
Group A September 1979 *Fiji  84–8  Wallis and Futuna National Stadium, Suva  
Group A September 1979 New Caledonia  17–8  Papua New Guinea National Stadium, Suva  
Group A September 1979 New Caledonia  def  Wallis and Futuna National Stadium, Suva  
Group A September 1979 Papua New Guinea  23–5  Wallis and Futuna National Stadium, Suva  

* denotes team did not award caps for the match.

Group B matches

Group B September 1979 Western Samoa  10–18  Tonga National Stadium, Suva  
Group B September 1979 Solomon Islands  3–92  Tonga* National Stadium, Suva  
Group B September 1979 Solomon Islands  35–3  Tahiti National Stadium, Suva  
Group B September 1979 Western Samoa  def  Tahiti National Stadium, Suva  
Group B September 1979 Tahiti  0–74  Tonga* National Stadium, Suva  
Group B September 1979 Western Samoa  def  Solomon Islands National Stadium, Suva  

* denotes team did not award caps for the match.

Play-offs

Semifinal September 1979 Fiji  16–13  Western Samoa National Stadium, Suva  
Semifinal September 1979 New Caledonia  3–58  Tonga National Stadium, Suva  
3rd-place September 1979 New Caledonia  9–8  Western Samoa National Stadium, Suva  
Final September 1979 Fiji  3–6  Tonga National Stadium, Suva  

See also

References

  1. ^ Mannan, Justine (13 May 2015). "Test On July 11". The Fiji Sun. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015.
  2. ^ Heatley, Ernest (30 July 2014). "Energy champion". The Fiji Times. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b "South Pacific Games". The Rugby Archive. 1979. Archived from the original on 19 July 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  4. ^ "South Pacific Games 1979". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  5. ^ "South Pacific Games results". Pacific Islands Monthly. Pacific Publications. 50 (10). p. 138 (Rugby Union). 1979. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
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