Pasifika Youth Rugby Cup 2023 Sydney: 80 Plus Games, 1000 Plus Players, New Teams, Favourites
The Pasifika Youth Cup has only been around for a year, yet the second iteration of the tournament boasted over a thousand participants, 84 games, and the participation of some of the most talented young footballers in the state.
The Pasifika youth cup rugby layer this month has been super-sized despite the fact that it has only been around for a year. There have been over a thousand young players who have entered the competition, 84 games have been scheduled, and some of the best young footballers in the state will be on display.
Ben Gregory, the head coach of the Sydney Juniors rugby squad, stated that an incredible 500 young people had put their names down for just 200 slots in the Barbarian's teams that were unveiled over the past two days.
At the event that is being held at Whalan Reserve, both he and the event organizers anticipate there will be eight teams competing in each of the boys age groups (14s, 15s, 16s, and 18s) as well as the girls age group contests (14s, 16s, and 18s).
The competition will take place from November 24 to November 26, and the opening ceremony will take place on Friday.
Gregory stated, "Last year I only had five groups, but this year we have seven, and teams from all of the countries in every age group."
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The competition will begin on Friday and continue through Sunday, and it will have a festival-like atmosphere complete with food stalls, live music, and simultaneous play on four different fields.
Gregory stated that "Last year, it was a good event this year it would be great."
"Some of the countries have been preparing for this all year long," she said.
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There will be a number of rising stars who have played at recent high level tournaments including the City vs. Country gala in Maitland. This is despite the fact that the event is largely geared toward young people who are enthusiastic about the sport.
Gregory predicted that there would be some "crackers" and "football."
If the results from the previous year are any indication, Samoa will be among the teams to beat in the boy's competitions.
Samoa's victory against Tonga in the 15s boys competition and victory over Maori Boys in the 14s boys competition gave them both titles.
They also advanced to the final of the 17s competition, where they were ultimately defeated by Tonga in a nail-biter.
Additionally, Tonga was victorious in the girls 14s sevens competition after defeating the Barbarians, while the Maori Girls prevailed in the 16s competition after prevailing over Manusina Blue.