Tuvalu’s ‘kiwi’ rugby team turns 25

A team formed to promote rugby for people from Tuvalu is about to celebrate a quarter of a century of rugby.

Massey Gold was formed in 1999 by members of the Tuvalu community under Auckland’s Massey Rugby club.

Team manager Nikotemo Tema said the celebrations will be held on October 25.

He said the main purpose of the team was to provide opportunities for Tuvaluans living in Aotearoa who were interested in playing, “before that, Tuvaluan boys would play touch rugby.”

Tema said the team has played in tournaments under the Massey Rugby Club banner over the years and some players have featured in the club’s premier and reserve grade teams. Massey Gold presently plays in the B grade.

Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, after Vatican City, Monaco and Nauru, but despite its size, has a strong rugby presence. As well as a representative Rugby Sevens team, it has five rugby clubs in the Tuvalu Rugby Union, which was formed in 2007.

More than 4500 Tuvaluans live in New Zealand – most of them in Auckland.

Tuvaluan culture is celebrated through an annual Tuvalu Language week, which is timed to coincide with Tuvalu Independence Day on October 1.