Fiji will host the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup 2022 from 2 to 16 July.
The match, which additionally options Australia A, Samoa and Tonga, might be performed in a round-robin format with the Pacific Nations Cup winner decided by the very best variety of competitors factors on the finish of the three match-days.
A win might be price 4 factors, a draw two factors and bonus factors for scoring greater than 4 tries or shedding by seven factors or much less.
Fiji might be aiming to clinch their sixth Pacific Nations Cup title in entrance of their residence crowd after ending as runners-up to Japan when the match was final organised earlier than the COVID19 pandemic in 2019.
They kick-off their marketing campaign in opposition to Tonga on Saturday, 2 July, and can shut the match in opposition to Samoa on 16 July.
A powerful line-up of skilled match officers, together with Wayne Barnes (England), Jaco Peyper (South Africa) and Nic Berry (Australia) will take cost of the six fixtures.
“We’re delighted to convey again the Pacific Nations Cup on the worldwide stage, the place it belongs, three years after the final version,” mentioned Sir Invoice Beaumont, World Rugby Chairman. “The match isn’t solely an amazing platform for growing competitiveness within the area, it’s additionally a wonderful alternative for these groups to play in entrance of their followers and households. With the ability to organise a match of this scale in Fiji is a really constructive signal after the pandemic’s difficult years and we stay up for a unbelievable couple of weeks in July.”
Tonga should play a Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification match every week after the Pacific Nations Cup, dealing with the Asia Rugby Championship winner on 23 July in an one-match play-off to resolve who qualifies as Asia/Pacific 1 and joins South Africa, Eire, Scotland and Europe 2 in Pool B.
Tonga’s matches can even be the primary since a volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami hit the nation in January 2022.
World Rugby lately established the Tonga Rugby Infrastructure and Rebuilding Fund and pledged £100,000 to kick-start the restoration of Tonga’s rugby infrastructure.
Pacific Nations Cup 2022 – Schedule
Australia A v Samoa
ANZ Stadium, Suva
Saturday, 2 July 2022 @ 13:00 (GMT +12)
Fiji v Tonga
ANZ Stadium, Suva,
Saturday, 2 July 2022 @ 15 :30 (GMT +12)
Samoa v Tonga
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Saturday, 9 July 2022
Fiji v Australia A
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Saturday, 9 July 2022
Tonga v Australia A
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Saturday, 16 July 2022
Fiji v Samoa
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Saturday, 16 July 2022