More than a dozen Pacific Island rugby nations will benefit from an influx of training equipment from New Zealand, part of the legacy programme from last year’s Rugby World Cup.

Equipment used by the 20 participating nations will be distributed across 13 unions affiliated to the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions.

It includes scrum machines, tackle bags, hit shields, tackle suits, contact suits and post pads.

World Cup winning All Black Jerome Kaino launched the programme by accompanying the Webb Ellis Cup to the Cook Islands this week.

Men, women and children at all levels of the game from American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Wallis et Futuna will benefit from the equipment.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew says it’s fitting to share the success of the Rugby World Cup, especially as Pacific rugby fans added “something special” to the tournament.

The commercial success of last year’s Rugby World Cup has allowed the International Rugby Board (IRB) to invest over $NZ300 million in the game between 2009 and 2012.

Oceania benefits in receiving $NZ34 million to help with competitions, development, training and education initiatives.