Pasifika rugby booming in Bay

Manual Santos in action for Bay of Plenty Pasifika. Photo/Drops Photography

The Bay of Plenty Pasifika rugby team is winning on and off the field.

An initiative by the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union this season has created a major boost to the Pacific Islands rugby community.

Bay of Plenty Pasifika played alongside Te Waiariki Maori, Western Bay and Eastern Bay in the inaugural Pro 4 Series tournament staged between the end of the Baywide club season and the beginning of the Mitre 10 Cup.

It gave the next batch of players below the contracted Steamers an opportunity to show their talents to the selectors in a more competitive environment.

The Pasifika team won the inaugural title after it defeated Te Waiariki 29-12, Eastern Bay 29-23 and drew 32-32 with Western Bay.

The president of Bay of Plenty Pasifika, Ati Aifou-Olive, says it was more than just rugby for the players.

"It was actually laying the platform for the future Pasifika kids. Our biggest achievement so far is that we have been able to unite Samoa, Tonga and Fiji players to come together as one. It was really big for the community as well," he said.

"Some of the elders who came when we won it said they had been trying to do something for rugby for years. An indication of how the Pasifika community got behind the project was this weekend when the Tongan community combined their four churches to celebrate the win."

Aifou-Olive noted that they had elders come to training and games and church ministers said prayers with the players before games.

Coach Tumanu Martin played a key role in preparing the team that was ably led by captain Aifai Esera, who along with Murphy Taele "was the driving force of planning our team structure off the field", according to Aifou-Olive.

"Tumanu went to games every weekend around the Bay just scouting and picking up guys and talking to people about it. We wanted to make sure we were professional from the start..

"He and Aifai made sure our season was prepared way before it started."

This year's Bay of Plenty Steamers players with Pasifika heritage are Sabastian Siataga, Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, James Lay, Jordan Lay, Solomona Sakalia, Ajay Lafaele-Mua, Henry Stowers, Lalakai Foketi, Liam Steel, Monty Ioane and Chase Tiatia.

Aifou-Olive says it was a positive thing for the Bay union to give the players the opportunity.

"We just want to continue the momentum. We really, really appreciate the union giving us the opportunity and we made sure that we have taken that opportunity."

Bay of Plenty CEO Mike Rogers says, "Over the last few years we have seen a stronger Pacific community being developed in the Bay of Plenty that is focused on playing rugby.

"It has really been a partnership with those key people in the Pasifika community who have driven this opportunity for the Pasifika team to be involved on a number of different levels.

"It is more than just rugby. What they bring to our environment fits perfectly in what we want to achieve in being engaged in different communities. It adds a totally different element to who we are.

"It has been a really positive experience."

Bay of Plenty Pasifika continuted their good form with a 19-17 win over Wellington Samoa at the weekend.