An earthquake struck Futuna in March 1993, destroying two of the island’s main churches. Father Vitaliano Holoi Aiga came from Samoa with a rugby ball, after which Nisié Feleu, a PE teacher, helped form Afili Rugby Futuna and foment a sporting transformation.
Wallis and Futuna are islands about 150 miles apart, between Fiji and Samoa. New Caledonia, on the opposite side of Fiji, is 900 miles off the eastern coast of Australia. They are part of La France d’Outre-mer: Overseas France. Through first-generation talent or second generations raised in La Métropole, they have an outstanding per-capita hit rate of rugby success, providing Francophone, domestic-status players for France’s leagues and national sides.
Afili was where Taofifenua Falatea learnt the game en route to the