SAMOA TO HOST WORLD RUGBY PACIFIC CHALLENGE 2023

Starts
The World Rugby Pacific Challenge will take place in Samoa as it returns for the first time since 2020. The tournament,
contested by the national ‘A’ teams of Fiji, Japan, Tonga and Samoa, will be hosted in Apia from 3-13 May, 2023.

After six consecutive editions organised in Fiji (2015-20) since its rebranding as the Pacific Challenge, the World Rugby-
funded tournament is returning to Samoa in 2023 for an exciting competition contested by hosts Manuma Samoa, Fiji

Warriors, Tonga A, and Junior Japan.
Organised in Apia between 3-13 May, the tournament will be played across three match days in a round-robin format with
each team playing three matches. The Pacific Challenge 2023 champions will be the team who records the maximum
number of competition points across the tournament and the full match scheduled has been confirmed by the
international federation.
The four teams involved from the Asia-Pacific region will be formed from the best locally-based players, with most
promised of a bright future with their senior national team. Competition should be fierce at Apia Park between defending
champions Junior Japan, Fiji Warriors and their record nine titles in the competition, Tonga A and Manuma Samoa looking
for a third crown on home soil.
Each team’s squad of 28 players must consist of 23 players that are 23 years of age and under as of 3 May, 2023, while the
remaining five players can be any age over 18. The tournament will allow future stars of the game in the region to develop
their skills in a competitive environment against cross-border opposition.
FIRST INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT ORGANISED IN SAMOA IN 13 YEARS
Samoa are looking forward to hosting the competing teams and their first international World Rugby tournament in 13
years, the last having been the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup in Apia in 2010. This year also marks 50 years of
diplomatic relations between Samoa and Japan and their two senior teams will meet on 28 September at Rugby World Cup
2023 in France later this year.
Lakapi Samoa CEO Faleomavaega Vincent said: “We are excited to be hosting this event in Samoa after the last 3 years of
the pandemic but also a start on what is an exciting year for rugby in our region heading towards Rugby World Cup in
Europe.” We are grateful to World Rugby for bringing the games to Samoa and we look forward to hosting our friends from
Jaoan,Tonga and Fiji”.
World Rugby continues to invest in various age-grade competitions throughout the world to support the pathway from
junior teams to international test rugby. The World Rugby U20 Championship and Trophy are also returning in 2023 and
will take place in South Africa and Kenya respectively in June and July.
World Rugby U20 tournaments return to Africa in 2023 >>
WORLD RUGBY PACIFIC CHALLENGE 2023
Apia Park | Kick-off times are TBC
MATCH-DAY 1: WEDNESDAY, 3 MAY
 Junior Japan v Fiji Warriors
 Manuma Samoa v Tonga A
MATCH-DAY 2: MONDAY, 8 MAY
 Tonga A v Junior Japan
 Manuma Samoa v Fiji Warriors
MATCH-DAY 3: SATURDAY, 13 MAY
 Fiji Warriors v Tonga A
 Manuma Samoa v Junior Japan