166:
475:
1054:
427:
887:
127:. In terms of physical land size, at just 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the
1200:
1165:
298:
530:
314:
196:
1028:
115:
Tuvalu's main problems are geographical - its population of 11,992 makes it the third-least-populated independent country in the world, with only
515:
420:
1069:
927:
606:
560:
405:
179:
980:
1215:
1175:
1160:
1132:
1089:
985:
812:
626:
586:
413:
1236:
1099:
867:
827:
787:
94:
1155:
975:
465:
1205:
1190:
1021:
990:
85:. However all teams attract supporters based on the home island of the team members, such as the 'Niutao Sharks'. The
384:
216:
1195:
1079:
902:
882:
872:
495:
1170:
995:
942:
747:
727:
717:
697:
687:
591:
490:
71:
63:
1049:
952:
892:
877:
852:
752:
712:
657:
285:
1064:
206:
47:, an organising body for Rugby Union, was established in 2007 with the intention of forming a national team.
912:
907:
862:
857:
817:
807:
772:
732:
581:
555:
550:
540:
520:
500:
1210:
1114:
1014:
947:
937:
922:
842:
792:
777:
762:
677:
662:
632:
621:
616:
611:
596:
545:
510:
505:
485:
480:
470:
460:
1185:
957:
932:
897:
847:
837:
832:
802:
767:
757:
707:
682:
672:
652:
642:
601:
575:
535:
525:
318:
1104:
1094:
1084:
1074:
782:
742:
722:
692:
667:
637:
570:
565:
90:
86:
37:
36:. Unlike most South Pacific islands, rugby union is largely played on an informal basis,. alongside
1180:
1137:
1059:
917:
822:
797:
737:
702:
647:
184:
44:
17:
263:
279:
202:
362:
340:
444:
124:
1230:
171:
123:
having fewer inhabitants. It is also one of the smallest member by population of the
105:
128:
116:
109:
101:
48:
235:
81:
The club level rugby competition has eight clubs, all based on the main island of
440:
436:
147:
100:
The Tuvalu Rugby Union also selects a national team. Tuvalu participated in the
28:
161:
154:, however, ensures that rugby union gets a lot of media coverage in Tuvalu.
151:
97:, which is a shared facility, used for sport and recreational activities.
1006:
388:
82:
67:
75:
132:
32:
143:. All of this makes a rugby infrastructure difficult to construct.
140:
136:
120:
1010:
409:
211:
93:
competition. Training activities are also carried out on the
341:"Andy Browning, I think we're going to need a bigger boat…"
139:—21 km. It comprises four reef islands and five true
387:. XIVth Pacific Games. September 2011. Archived from
1146:
1123:
1042:
966:
451:
40:, which is the main sport played by Tuvaluans.
62:Rugby is played at the two secondary schools;
1022:
421:
8:
108:in 2011. It is also a featured sport at the
78:. They have their own internal tournaments.
1029:
1015:
1007:
428:
414:
406:
385:"Rugby sevens at the 2011 Pacific Games"
51:was first introduced to Tuvalu in 2007.
308:
306:
264:"The tides turn for rugby 7s in Tuvalu"
227:
443:affiliated nations not present in the
277:
217:Rugby sevens at the 2011 Pacific Games
236:"Paradise in peril - King Tide diary"
7:
262:Pareti, Alipate (10 November 2023).
257:
255:
253:
251:
249:
313:Lalua, Silafaga (10 January 2007).
212:Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions
25:
365:. Tuvalu-News.TV. 1 November 2006
180:Tuvalu national rugby sevens team
146:Tuvalu's close relationship with
317:. Tuvalu-News.TV. Archived from
164:
18:History of rugby union in Tuvalu
476:Arab states of the Persian Gulf
74:, a boarding school located on
1055:Federated States of Micronesia
95:Funafuti International Airport
1:
888:St Vincent & Grenadines
1253:
207:Lakapii ko kamata i Tuvalu
66:, a day school located on
104:competition in the XIVth
72:Motufoua Secondary School
64:Fetuvalu Secondary School
1201:Northern Mariana Islands
1166:Cocos (Keeling) Islands
315:"Rugby Union starts up"
1037:Rugby union in Oceania
531:British Virgin Islands
516:Bosnia and Herzegovina
1237:Rugby union in Tuvalu
1149:and other territories
967:Former states without
928:Trinidad & Tobago
197:Rugby union starts up
969:World Cup experience
454:World Cup experience
343:. Andy Browning blog
284:: CS1 maint: year (
91:association football
87:Tuvalu Sports Ground
38:association football
89:is shared with the
452:Third tier without
321:on 18 October 2012
266:. Islands Business
242:. 25 January 2008.
185:Tuvalu Rugby Union
135:—1.95 km and
45:Tuvalu Rugby Union
1224:
1223:
1216:Wallis and Futuna
1124:Associated states
1004:
1003:
391:on 30 August 2012
16:(Redirected from
1244:
1206:Pitcairn Islands
1176:French Polynesia
1161:Christmas Island
1090:Papua New Guinea
1070:Marshall Islands
1043:Sovereign states
1031:
1024:
1017:
1008:
813:Papua New Guinea
627:French Polynesia
445:Rugby World Cups
430:
423:
416:
407:
401:
400:
398:
396:
381:
375:
374:
372:
370:
359:
353:
352:
350:
348:
337:
331:
330:
328:
326:
310:
301:
296:
290:
289:
283:
275:
273:
271:
259:
244:
243:
232:
174:
169:
168:
167:
21:
1252:
1251:
1247:
1246:
1245:
1243:
1242:
1241:
1227:
1226:
1225:
1220:
1148:
1142:
1125:
1119:
1100:Solomon Islands
1038:
1035:
1005:
1000:
968:
962:
868:Solomon Islands
453:
447:
434:
404:
394:
392:
383:
382:
378:
368:
366:
361:
360:
356:
346:
344:
339:
338:
334:
324:
322:
312:
311:
304:
297:
293:
276:
269:
267:
261:
260:
247:
234:
233:
229:
225:
193:
170:
165:
163:
160:
131:—0.44 km;
60:
54:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1250:
1248:
1240:
1239:
1229:
1228:
1222:
1221:
1219:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1196:Norfolk Island
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1156:American Samoa
1152:
1150:
1144:
1143:
1141:
1140:
1135:
1129:
1127:
1126:of New Zealand
1121:
1120:
1118:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1046:
1044:
1040:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1033:
1026:
1019:
1011:
1002:
1001:
999:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
976:Czechoslovakia
972:
970:
964:
963:
961:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
775:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
745:
740:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
675:
670:
665:
660:
655:
650:
645:
640:
635:
630:
624:
619:
614:
609:
607:Czech Republic
604:
599:
594:
589:
584:
579:
576:Chinese Taipei
573:
568:
563:
561:Cayman Islands
558:
553:
548:
543:
538:
533:
528:
523:
518:
513:
508:
503:
498:
493:
488:
483:
478:
473:
468:
466:American Samoa
463:
457:
455:
449:
448:
435:
433:
432:
425:
418:
410:
403:
402:
376:
354:
332:
302:
291:
245:
226:
224:
221:
220:
219:
214:
209:
199:
192:
191:External links
189:
188:
187:
182:
176:
175:
159:
156:
125:United Nations
59:
56:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1249:
1238:
1235:
1234:
1232:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1191:New Caledonia
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1171:Easter Island
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1153:
1151:
1145:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1130:
1128:
1122:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1032:
1027:
1025:
1020:
1018:
1013:
1012:
1009:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
973:
971:
965:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
774:
771:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
686:
684:
681:
679:
676:
674:
671:
669:
666:
664:
661:
659:
656:
654:
651:
649:
646:
644:
641:
639:
636:
634:
631:
628:
625:
623:
620:
618:
615:
613:
610:
608:
605:
603:
600:
598:
595:
593:
590:
588:
585:
583:
580:
577:
574:
572:
569:
567:
564:
562:
559:
557:
554:
552:
549:
547:
544:
542:
539:
537:
534:
532:
529:
527:
524:
522:
519:
517:
514:
512:
509:
507:
504:
502:
499:
497:
494:
492:
489:
487:
484:
482:
479:
477:
474:
472:
469:
467:
464:
462:
459:
458:
456:
450:
446:
442:
438:
431:
426:
424:
419:
417:
412:
411:
408:
390:
386:
380:
377:
364:
358:
355:
342:
336:
333:
320:
316:
309:
307:
303:
300:
295:
292:
287:
281:
265:
258:
256:
254:
252:
250:
246:
241:
237:
231:
228:
222:
218:
215:
213:
210:
208:
204:
200:
198:
195:
194:
190:
186:
183:
181:
178:
177:
173:
172:Tuvalu portal
162:
157:
155:
153:
149:
144:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
113:
111:
107:
106:Pacific Games
103:
98:
96:
92:
88:
84:
79:
77:
73:
69:
65:
57:
55:
52:
50:
46:
41:
39:
35:
34:
31:is played in
30:
19:
1147:Dependencies
1133:Cook Islands
1109:
991:West Germany
981:East Germany
587:Cook Islands
393:. Retrieved
389:the original
379:
367:. Retrieved
363:"In sports…"
357:
345:. Retrieved
335:
323:. Retrieved
319:the original
294:
268:. Retrieved
239:
230:
145:
129:Vatican City
117:Vatican City
114:
110:Tuvalu Games
102:Rugby Sevens
99:
80:
61:
53:
49:Rugby sevens
42:
27:
26:
1080:New Zealand
903:Switzerland
873:South Korea
828:Philippines
788:Netherlands
441:World Rugby
437:Rugby union
347:16 December
270:18 November
148:New Zealand
29:Rugby union
996:Yugoslavia
943:Uzbekistan
748:Mauritania
728:Madagascar
718:Luxembourg
698:Kyrgyzstan
688:Kazakhstan
592:Costa Rica
491:Azerbaijan
369:31 October
325:31 October
223:References
1050:Australia
953:Venezuela
893:Swaziland
883:St Lucia
878:Sri Lanka
853:Singapore
753:Mauritius
713:Lithuania
658:Hong Kong
152:Australia
1231:Category
1065:Kiribati
913:Thailand
908:Tanzania
863:Slovenia
858:Slovakia
818:Paraguay
808:Pakistan
773:Mongolia
733:Malaysia
629:(Tahiti)
582:Colombia
578:(Taiwan)
556:Cameroon
551:Cambodia
541:Bulgaria
521:Botswana
501:Barbados
299:FIFA.com
280:cite web
240:BBC News
203:Tuvaluan
158:See also
83:Funafuti
68:Funafuti
1211:Tokelau
1115:Vanuatu
948:Vanuatu
938:Ukraine
923:Tunisia
843:Senegal
793:Nigeria
778:Morocco
763:Moldova
678:Jamaica
663:Hungary
633:Germany
622:Finland
617:Ecuador
612:Denmark
597:Croatia
546:Burundi
511:Bermuda
506:Belgium
496:Bahamas
486:Austria
481:Armenia
471:Andorra
461:Algeria
76:Vaitupu
58:History
1186:Hawaii
1110:Tuvalu
958:Zambia
933:Uganda
898:Sweden
848:Serbia
838:Rwanda
833:Poland
803:Norway
768:Monaco
758:Mexico
708:Latvia
683:Jordan
673:Israel
653:Guyana
643:Greece
602:Cyprus
536:Brunei
526:Brazil
395:29 Nov
141:atolls
133:Monaco
70:, and
33:Tuvalu
1105:Tonga
1095:Samoa
1085:Palau
1075:Nauru
783:Nauru
743:Malta
723:Macau
693:Kenya
668:India
638:Ghana
571:China
566:Chile
137:Nauru
121:Nauru
1181:Guam
1138:Niue
1060:Fiji
986:USSR
918:Togo
823:Peru
798:Niue
738:Mali
703:Laos
648:Guam
397:2011
371:2012
349:2012
327:2012
286:link
272:2023
150:and
119:and
43:The
439:in
1233::
305:^
282:}}
278:{{
248:^
238:.
205:)
112:.
1030:e
1023:t
1016:v
429:e
422:t
415:v
399:.
373:.
351:.
329:.
288:)
274:.
201:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.