Pacific Rugby Challenge Returns To Samoa
Photo: SRU
For the first time since 2020, the World Rugby Pacific Challenge will return to Samoa. The tournament, which will feature the national 'A' teams of Fiji, Japan, Tonga, and Samoa, will take place on May 18th this year in Apia.
The World Rugby funded Pacific Challenge will return to Samoa in 2023 after six consecutive editions in Fiji (2015-20), with hosts Manuma Samoa, Fiji Warriors, Tonga A, and Junior Japan competing.
The tournament, which will be held in Apia from May 3 to 13, will be played in a round-robin format over three match days, with each team playing three matches.
The Pacific Challenge 2023 champion will be the team with the most competition points at the end of the tournament, and the full schedule has been confirmed by the international federation.
The four Asia-Pacific teams involved will be made up of the best locally-based players, with most promising a bright future with their senior national team.
At Apia Park, defending champions Junior Japan, Fiji Warriors and their record nine titles in the competition, Tonga A and Manuma Samoa will be vying for a third title on home soil.
Each team's squad of 28 players must include 23 players who are 23 years old or younger as of 3 May 2023, while the remaining five players can be any age.
Samoa is excited to host the competing teams and their first international World Rugby tournament in 13 years, the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup in Apia in 2010.
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of Samoa and Japan's diplomatic relations, and their two senior teams will meet on September 28 at the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France later this year.
"We are excited to be hosting this event in Samoa after the last three years of the pandemic, but also a start on what is going to be an exciting year for rugby in our
region leading up to
the
Rugby World Cup in Europe," said Lakapi Samoa CEO Faleomavaega Vincent.
We thank World Rugby for bringing the games to Samoa.