8legs: Fiji national rugby team

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Fiji taking 'home' rugby matches 16,000km away and turning UK venues into island festivals

Fiji will base its team 16,000 kilometers from home for the Nations Championship in July, playing three matches in the United Kingdom.
As the home team, Fiji will face Wales, England and Scotland at Cardiff, Liverpool and Murrayfield respectively in July.
The plan aims to relieve opponents from traveling to the Pacific while maximizing revenue at larger stadiums.
Koli Sewabu, Fiji Rugby Union chief executive, said the fixtures will help invest more into grassroots rugby and the team’s growth.
The Nations Championship pairs Six Nations sides with Rugby Championship teams plus Fiji and Japan, with July hosting the southern hemisphere teams’ games overseas.
The article notes that the schedule also includes matches against Wales, England and Scotland in July as part of the tournament format.
Cardiff’s 33,280-seat Cardiff City Stadium and Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium will host Fiji’s away games as openings for expanded venues.
The arrangement is intended to create a festive atmosphere with Fijian music, food and entertainment at the matches.
The Nations Championship will see the Six Nations squads travel south in July with finals in November at Twickenham.
The move is described as supporting the continued growth and success of Fiji’s rugby program.

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