Photo / Counties Manukau Touch Facebook

Mountfort Park is set to host a celebration of Pasifika in Touch next weekend, with Manurewa Rugby
Football the venue for the Annual Bunnings Pacific Cup Touch Tournament.

The two-day event first launched at the same venue back in 2019 and has grown to become a key
tournament for Pacific Touch players throughout Aotearoa.

Participating Nations include Samoa, Tonga, Niue & the Cook Islands with the addition of regional
maori teams from Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Northland & Waikato – made possible through
a partnership with Māori Touch NZ.

Event Director Pat Spellman is excited for the annual event – in particular the opportunity to bring the
pacific touch community together.

“The Pacific Cup is always a highlight on a very busy touch calendar. There are very few events in the
sport of Touch here in NZ that center around culture – Maori Touch Nationals is one and Pacific Cup
is the other. We are proud to hold that space for Pasifika peoples.”

Spellman adds that the entirely volunteer run tournament is the result of years of work advocating for
accessible and enjoyable indigenous events;

“Seldom do we, as Pasifika in Touch, get the opportunity to be unapologetically us. We can haka, siva,
sing and laugh at an event tailored to us! There will be some of the best players in the world on field
as well as a special celebration of everything nesian off it – it really is magic!”

Over 100 teams across both days will participate in Touch, with junior teams playing on Saturday and
Senior teams on Sunday. Grades start at under 10 right through to Masters grades.

The tournament starts at 8am on Saturday and runs across the weekend.

Members of the community are welcome to pop down and enjoy a weekend of pacific spirit through
sport.

“We’re grateful to have the support of Manurewa Rugby Football Club, in particular Kelvin and his
committee, without whom this event couldn’t have been held in South Auckland this year. Sponsors
like Bunnings, KBS, CLM Community Sport – the list goes on and we can’t say thank you enough.”