For the first time in history, the Rugby Football Club Los Angeles (RFCLA) side, playing in the Major League Rugby in the USA will travel to Fiji and take on the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua in the first-ever matchup between an MLR team and a Super Rugby Pacific team next Friday at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
This has been confirmed in a statement by the Fijian Drua who says this will mark a historic moment in rugby as the two teams from opposite sides of the Pacific face off in what promises to be an entertaining and exciting contest between two emerging rugby nations.
Fijian Drua General Manager Rugby Baden Stephenson says the Fijian Drua are excited to host Rugby FCLA in Fiji and be the first Super Rugby Pacific Club to engage with the MLR.
Stephenson says this game will provide their players, coaches, and fans with new and different stimuli and challenges.
He says the Fijian Drua have made a big impact globally since joining Super Rugby in 2022 and their international reach, reputation and engagement will continue to grow as they build unique partnerships in new markets such as Los Angeles.
RFCLA CEO Pete Sickle says they are very grateful to the Fijian Drua and all in Fiji who have made this historic opportunity possible.
Stickle says that, as a new franchise in a relatively new competition, they are honoured to share a Super Rugby Pacific Pitch in Fiji, a beautiful country with a passionate rugby community.
He says for their players and their fans, this momentous preseason fixture reflects the substantial growth their franchise has achieved in its first twelve months.
He adds they hope this fixture will inspire enduring traditions between the two clubs and the two countries.
Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley says Super Rugby Pacific congratulates Fijian Drua and RFC Los Angeles for coming together to create this historic fixture, and with LA hosting the next Olympics and the 2031 Rugby World Cup heading to the USA, it’s a remarkable time for Rugby in America.
Mesley says as a competition, they are excited by the opportunity to build stronger ties with the MLR, grow rugby in the broader Pacific region and showcase our great clubs like the Fijian Drua to new audiences.
In the first of its kind, MLR CEO Nic Benson says as Major League Rugby continues to grow and evolve, it's exciting to be able to explore new challenges that will push their squads to be better and bring their league to more people around the world.
Benson says the Fijian Drua is an iconic franchise, and this test will not only prepare RFCLA for the upcoming MLR season but also mark a historic moment in the ongoing journey of MLR."
RFCLA will feature Olympic gold medallist Semi Kunatani in their squad this year.
The match will be accessible to as many fans as possible, and the ticket prices are $5 for the grass embankment and $10 for the stands.
Tickets will be available for sale online at drua.flicket.io as well as at Jack’s of Fiji outlets, XL Sports outlets and Damodar
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