Pacifica Youth Rugby Cup a vehicle to unearth talent, showcase rising stars

It's rugby league turf but a new tournament in Sydney’s west is set to put young rugby talent firmly in the spotlight - and unearth some new stars of the future.

Sydney’s newest sporting event is a rugby festival. Pic: Julian Andrews

It’s the newest addition to the NSW sporting calendar and has attracted some of the best young footballers from Sydney and surrounds to play across two days in Sydney’s west.

It is also hoped the Pacifica Youth Rugby Cup will become an annual event in the future following the inaugural tournament being played on November 25 and 26 at Mt Druitt.

But Sydney Junior Rugby Union director Bernard Tuaimau said the event is much more than a showcase for the best and brightest footballing talent and a celebration of culture and heritage.

“It’s also to highlight topics like mental health, cultural identify and youth suicide,’’ he said.

“Cultural identity for us allows these kids to understand themselves and their identity.

“It goes a long way to addressing things like mental health. If they are aware of where they are from, who they belong too growing up, we feel it is an important aspect of addressing these issues.’’

Sydney’s west has long been a home for rugby league with many youngsters hailing from the Patrician Brothers College in Fairfield. L-R Yehya Ayache, Josh Alhazim, Victor Alofaki and Junior Fagalele.

Tuaimau said the new addition to the sporting landscape will also provide junior rugby with a showcase for new, perhaps unidentified talent.

“Rugby league is big out west, rugby is a small catchment,’’ he said.

“From a Sydney juniors perspective this is a great way to engage with Pacific communities out west.

“It’s also an untapped nursery of talent.

The stadium at Federation Forest.

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“The goal is to lock this into our calendar so it’s a permanent. fixture.’’

Tonga boys 17s coach and former Super Rugby gun Sam Wykes said the event could well unearth the next star of the sport while attracting youngsters to the game. ”It's a stage for these kids to be discovered,’’ he said.

“This will showcase Pacific and indigenous talent to a whole new audience.

The Pacifica Yoith Rugby Cup is more than just a sporting event.

“There are genuinely gifted athletes that we might not have heard of yet, that might have the right body shape and who just need good coaching.

“It’s very exciting.

TEAMS PLAYING AT PACIFICA YOUTH RUGBY CUP

Team at the event, designed to celebrate all our pacific nations and junior rugby, across the girls 14 and 16 age groups and boys 14, 15 and 17s divisions are Fiji, Samoa, Tonga Cook Islands, Maori, Koori and a Barbarians mixed side.

The boys will play XV a side rugby and the girls Sevens Rugby.

In total there will be 40 teams.

Teams are generally based on family heritage.

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