Fiji has been confirmed to take part in the World Series Rugby, a series of seven invitational matches with axed Super Rugby club Western Force this year.
TVNZ reports the matches to be played at Perth's nib Stadium, will line up a new‑look Western Force team against Pacific nations Fiji, Tonga and Samoa plus Hong Kong and Super Rugby outfit the Melbourne Rebels and Crusaders between May and August.
A Japanese team is likely to round out the competition.
Billionaire Andrew Forrest has announced that the World Series Rugby would evolve into an international competition for the Asia Pacific region in 2019, something he had been trying to get up for 2018.
New initiatives and changes in the rules will be trialled during the World Series Rugby including a try being worth 10 points and a time frame for scrums and lineouts.
Western Force chief executive Nick Marvin confirmed negotiations were ongoing for the World Series Rugby to be televised on free‑to‑air television.
World Series Rugby invitational matches this year include the Western Force vs Fiji on the 4th of May, May 13 v Tonga, June 9 v Rebels, June 22 v Crusaders, July 13 v Samoa, Aug 10 v Hong Kong.
Source: tvnz.com
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
