Vanuatu’s Under-16 boys finished eighth out of eight teams, while the Under-18 girls secured fifth place out of six teams at the Melanesian Cup 2026 in Païta, New Caledonia.

The two-day rugby sevens tournament was held on October 21 and 22, bringing together youth teams from across the Pacific, including Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia, Vanuatu and host nation New Caledonia.

The Melanesian Cup provides a regional platform for young rugby players to compete internationally, develop their skills and gain valuable experience against teams from neighbouring Pacific nations. The tournament also encourages sporting exchange, strengthens relationships between participating countries and supports the development of rugby among young athletes in the region.

The Melanesian Cup brought together youth rugby sevens teams from across the Pacific, with New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, French Polynesia, Tuvalu and New Zealand among the participating nations.

For Vanuatu, the competition offered both teams an opportunity to test their abilities at an international level and gain experience that can contribute to their future development in the sport.

The official opening ceremony took place at the Plaine des Sports de Païta, marking the start of the youth rugby sevens competition.