https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/10/11...6fJDjMhJvwHrf59TzB8c6z6ySTVbJpyjw2qtsl1aLyqlI
The NSWRL has confirmed a Fiji team will join the Ron Massey Cup next season with a view to eventually playing in the Canterbury Cup NSW.
The new team, known as the Kaiviti Silktails, will join the competition in 2020 with a view towards boosting the development of the game in Fiji and provide a new pathway for Fijian players to rise to the NRL.
Former Australia and Fiji Test star Petero Civoniceva was a driving force behind the bid and was present when the news was announced ahead of Friday's clash between the Australian Prime Minister's XIII and the Fiji Prime Minister's XIII in Suva.
"It's been about six years in the making but something of this nature was always going to take time," Civoniceva said.
"We've been very fortunate to have a good support network of people behind this push.
"I'm very grateful to the NSWRL to give us an opportunity to present our case and today's launch in Suva with both of our Prime Ministers present is a huge bonus.
"This will be a wonderful pathway to help local talent chase their dream of playing professional rugby league."
https://silktails.com/
NSWRL has today announced an historic agreement with Fiji National Rugby League which will see Fiji field a team in a NSWRL competition next season in a move to significantly assist the development and growth of the game and provide a pathway for the country’s aspiring Rugby League players.
The agreement was unveiled before the Prime Minister’s XIII match against Fiji at ANZ Stadium in Suva tonight, which was attended by Australian Prime Minister, the Hon. Scott Morrison, Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, NSWRL Chairman Dr George Peponis OAM, NSWRL General Manager – Football, Barrie-Jon Mather and Fijian-born Rugby League legend Petero Civoniceva.
The team will be known as the Kaiviti Silktails (Kaiviti means someone from Fiji while the Silktails are a bird native to the country) and will play in the Ron Massey Cup next season with a view to eventually playing in the state’s premier competition, Canterbury Cup NSW.
The deal has been made possible by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) which has supported Fiji’s application and will provide a funding deal for the next four years and has also backed a move to play NRL pre-season trial matches in the Pacific for the next three years.
“This is an historic and exciting day for both the NSWRL and Fiji National Rugby League,” Dr Peponis said.
“Fiji has provided our game with plenty of exciting players over the decades and it’s a wonderful initiative to now have a direct pathway to help them pursue a Rugby League career.
“I’d like to thank the DFAT for all their support and I can’t wait to see the Kaiviti Silktails in action in 2020.”
Civoniceva, a proud Fijian who also represented Australia and Queensland and has been a driving force behind the bid, said: “It’s been about six years in the making but something of this nature was always going to take time.
“We’ve been very fortunate to have a good support network of people behind this push.
“I’m very grateful to the NSWRL to give us an opportunity to present our case and today’s launch in Suva with both of our Prime Ministers present is a huge bonus.
“This will be a wonderful pathway to help local talent chase their dream of playing professional Rugby League.”
https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2019/10/11/fiji-silktails-to-join-nswrl-competition-in-2020/
FIji will have a team in the second-tier NSW Cup by 2021, with the Pacific nation to take its biggest leap in rugby league.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed on Friday in Fiji that the Kaiviti Silktails would play in the Ron Massey Cup next year before entering reserve grade in 2021.
It comes after a Papua New Guinea team began playing in the Queensland Cup in 2013, winning the competition in 2017.
"This is a great part of Fiji's welcoming in to the NRL in Australia," the prime minister announced at Friday night's PM's XIII match in Suva.
"This is going to create a great opportunity for young Fijian players coming through the ranks to be exposed to rugby league in Australia.
"I think you will get a good following from the Aussies who will love the brand of rugby league you are going to play.
Fiji have supplied several stars in recent years to the NRL, most notably 2019 leading try-scorer Maika Sivo at Parramatta.
Marika Koroibete and Semi Radradra are other players to have grown up in Fiji before starring this decade in the league.
Friday night's match in Fiji was also the first time the PM's XIII side had travelled to the country instead of PNG.
There has also been the introduction of the Oceania Cup this year, which includes Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, PNG and rapidly improving Tonga.
"One of the most-important things is that we are engaging the Pacific," ARL Commission chairman Peter Beattie said.
"The Pacific is the most rapidly growing part of the game outside of Australia ... You've seen that with Tonga.
"We need to get players out of Fiji to get NRL experience ... If they are getting NRL experience like the Tongan players do, they are going to grow.
"Hopefully, in five-10 years, you're going to see Test-quality teams coming out of not just Tonga, but Fiji, Samoa and PNG."
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6434539/fiji-to-get-nsw-reserve-grade-league-team/?cs=14274
