Fiji to play home matches in Nations Championship in Britain

Feb 23 - Fiji have ceded home advantage for their three matches of the new Nations Championship against England, Scotland and Wales in July, the Fiji Rugby Union said on Monday.

A statement said the decision was “a groundbreaking development for Fijian rugby, to take fans on a unique journey across the Northern Hemisphere” but likely comes because of the greater earning potential of hosting the matches in Britain than on the Pacific island.

The Welsh Rugby Union, in also announcing the venues, said Wales at Cardiff City Stadium on July 4 was "an unprecedented opportunity for Fiji Rugby to generate significant commercial returns".

Fiji also host England at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium on July 11 and their last clash is against Scotland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

The new competition was unveiled last November and pits northern and southern hemisphere countries against each other in two separate windows in July and November.

The new competition, designed to give more purpose to the test schedule, will conclude with a finals weekend from November 28-30 at Twickenham in London where all 12 nations will chase a placing.

The deciding clash will be between the top-ranked northern and southern hemisphere sides.

Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa all host three matches against European opposition in July and travel north in November to play three away games in England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

Fiji will play France, Ireland and Italy in their November fixtures.

Points will be awarded for each result -- four for a win, two for a draw and a bonus point for scoring four tries or more or losing by fewer than eight points -- which will then determine the pairings for the finals weekend at the end of November.

Fixtures

Southern Series

July 4-5: Argentina v Scotland, Australia v Ireland, Fiji v Wales, Japan v Italy, New Zealand v France, South Africa v England

July 11-12: Argentina v Wales, Australia v France, Fiji v England, Japan v Ireland, New Zealand v Italy, South Africa v Scotland

July 18-19: Argentina v England, Australia v Italy, Fiji v Scotland, Japan v France, New Zealand v Ireland, South Africa v Wales

Northern Series

November 7-8: England v Australia, France v Fiji, Ireland v Argentina, Italy v South Africa, Scotland v New Zealand, Wales v Japan

November 14-15: England v Japan, France v South Africa, Ireland v Fiji, Italy v Argentina, Scotland v Australia, Wales v New Zealand

November 21-22: England v New Zealand, France v Argentina, Ireland v South Africa, Italy v Fiji, Scotland v Japan, Wales v Australia

Finals weekend

November 28-30: North 6 v South 6, North 5 v South 5, North 4 v South 4, North 3 v South 3, North 2 v South 2, North 1 v South 1 REUTERS