It seems it is a 6 nation competition.
Australia, New Zealand and PNG to host new Pacific Rugby League Championship
Australia will play co-host to a six-country post-season rugby league tournament for the next two years, with the NRL’s biggest stars set to be involved.
August 16, 2023 - 5:00AM
Australia will play co-host to a six-country Pacific post-season rugby league tournament for the next two years following a $7 million federal funding injection to boost the level of competition in the region.
The Albanese Government will spend $7 million over the next two years to fund the end-of season tournament in partnership with the NRL, with the inaugural Pacific Rugby League Championship to feature men’s and women’s teams from Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Cook Islands.
Strengthening ties with the Pacific through informal avenues like sport has become a major priority for Australia to counter rising Chinese influence in the region.
The government’s investment in the new tournament is also expected to deliver “high-performance pathways” for Pacific athletes, coaches, referees and administrators - all identified as necessary precursors to the region gaining a license to enter a Pasifika team in Australia’s regular NRL competition.
Games for the 2023 championship will be played in Australia, New Zealand and PNG between October 13 and November 4.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the tournament marked the beginning of an “exciting new phase” of international rugby league competition in the Pacific for both men and women.
“Geography makes us neighbours, but through sport we build strong and lasting ties across the Pacific family,” he said.
Australian Rugby League Commissioner Kate Jones said the championship would showcase the “best of international Rugby League” highlighted with both men’s and women’s matches.
“The Commission’s focus on growing the international game will combine with an equally strong desire to grow rugby league in the Pacific,” she said.
The $7m for the championship is part of an $89.5m four-year funding allocation in the 2023-24 budget to “deepen Pacific connections by strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties with the region and promote shared values”.
International Development and Pacific Minister Pat Conroy said the championships would provide a “unique opportunity” for athletes in the Pacific to play and develop professionally.
“(It) will inspire a generation of girls and boys,” he said.
“I’m proud that this partnership will enable Papua New Guinea to be a tournament co-host in 2023 and Fiji to co-host the competition in 2024.”
In May, Ms Jones joined a federal government trade mission to PNG, where she held talks in Port Moresby with local football officials about the prospect of a new Pasifika team, but she said at the time there remained a “lot of work to do” for the proposal to become a reality.
