Pacific Rim Rugby Championship
![]() Epson Cup logo introduced in 1999 | |
Sport | Rugby union |
---|---|
Inaugural season | 1996 |
Ceased | 2001 |
No. of teams | 6 |
Last champion(s) | ![]() |
Most titles | ![]() |
The Pacific Rim Rugby Championship, also known as the Epson Cup for sponsorship purposes,[1] was an international rugby union tournament contested by national teams from around the Pacific.[2] The championship was held annually between 1996 and 2001.
The competition was run by the International Rugby Board.[3] In the first three tournaments, Canada, United States, Japan and Hong Kong competed for the championship. The competition was expanded to six teams in 1999 with the Pacific Tri-Nations teams Fiji, Samoa and Tonga replacing Hong Kong for the last three tournaments.
Tournament winners[]
Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third place | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | ![]() |
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[4] |
1997 | ![]() |
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[5] |
1998 | ![]() |
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[6] |
1999 | ![]() |
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![]() |
[7] |
2000 | ![]() |
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![]() |
[8] |
2001 | ![]() |
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![]() |
[9] |
Successor events[]
The Epson Cup series ended at the completion of the original sponsorship deal, but the Pacific Tri-Nations tournament continued for the next three years until the IRB expanded that competition to form the Pacific Nations Cup in 2006 (also known as the Pacific Six Nations).[10][11]
The Pacific Nations Cup, including Japan, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, was expanded again in 2012 with Canada and the United States joining the competition.[12]
The United States, Russia, China, Japan, and eventually Canada and Romania, played in the Super Powers Cup (later renamed the Super Cup) from 2003 to 2005.[13]
See also[]
- Pacific Nations Cup
- Super Cup
References[]
- ^ "IRB unaware of Epson Cup problems". ESPN Scrum. 12 October 2000. Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
- ^ Sallay, Alvin (7 July 1996). "Pacific Rim teams urged to improve rugby standards". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
- ^ "Welcome to the home of the Epson Cup on the Internet". IRB. 2002. Archived from the original on 3 September 2002. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
- ^ Pacific Rim Championship. ESPN Scrum. 1996.
- ^ Pacific Rim Championship. ESPN Scrum. 1997.
- ^ Pacific Rim Championship. ESPN Scrum. 1998.
- ^ Pacific Rim Championship. ESPN Scrum. 1999.
- ^ Pacific Rim Championship. ESPN Scrum. 2000.
- ^ Pacific Rim Championship. ESPN Scrum. 2001.
- ^ "About Us: National Teams". Fiji Rugby. 2015. Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
- ^ "IRB unveil plan to boost rugby worldwide". Irish Times. 5 August 2005. Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
- ^ "Pacific Nations Cup expanded to Canada and USA". TVNZ. 23 January 2013. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
- ^ "What a Week!". Nigel Melville Direct. 10 February 2009. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
External links[]
- irb-epson.irb.org archive of official webpage
- Canada national rugby union team
- Fiji national rugby union team
- Hong Kong national rugby union team
- Japan national rugby union team
- Samoa national rugby union team
- Tonga national rugby union team
- United States national rugby union team
- Rugby union competitions in Asia for national teams
- Rugby union competitions in Oceania for national teams
- Rugby union competitions in North America
- Defunct rugby union competitions for national teams