Pacifique Treize announce U17 touring squad

Pacifique Treize are pleased to announce the final 27 member squad for the Under 17 touring team that will play 3 games in North Queensland, Australia in February.

The squad is a true reflection of Pacifique Treize’s ideals to promote and develop rugby league across the French speaking Pacific Region, with players from New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Wallis et Futuna all included in this inaugural tour. It is hoped that on the back of this tour that more players within these territories, along with players from Tahiti (French Polynesia) will continue to show enthusiasm to participate in future events and tours.

As rugby league is still a developing sport in the French speaking Pacific, players from mainland France and Australia with French backgrounds have also been included in the squad that will play three of Queensland’s most prominent rugby league clubs – Mackay Cutters, Townsville Blackhawks and Northern Pride.

Laurent Garnier, head coach of the squad commented “I am very excited about working with this group of players and to showcase the immense talent we have within the French speaking Pacific territories and I think we can shock a few people during our 3 games. We have some athletic guys – big and fast, coupled with some very skilful players, so I am excited to see how we can develop over the course of the two weeks we are in Australia”.

“The main priority for us in this tour is to come together and celebrate this initial achievement by being able to bring together so many players from different locations to play under the one entity and to showcase to people in Queensland that we are serious about developing the game in the French speaking Pacific. There are close to 1 million French speaking people within the Pacific and we are determined to show that we can be a team that adds value to the Queensland Rugby League and further the National Rugby League over the coming years”.

The full squad for the Pacifique Treize U17 tour of North Queensland is: