The Australian Rugby League Commission has announced details of a Pacific Championships involving international men’s and women’s matches in October and November this year. The Commission has also announced a partnership with the Australian Government in order to promote and develop Rugby League in the Pacific through the Championships. The Albanese Government will partner with the NRL to ensure Pacific Championships matches can be played in the Pacific, enabling players to play in front of their loyal local fans. Six men’s teams and seven women’s teams will take part in the 2023 tournament across two pools, which will begin on October 14. The men’s tournaments will culminate in finals in Hamilton, New Zealand, and Port Moresby on November 4-5. The 2023 Championships will include two match days in Australia, two in New Zealand and four in Papua New Guinea (PNG). 2023 Pacific Championships Schedule Week One – October 14-15 Australia v Samoa (men) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville Australia v New Zealand (women) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium Townsville PNG v Cook Islands (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby Samoa v Fiji (women) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby Week Two – October 21-22 New Zealand v Samoa (men) at Eden Park, Auckland New Zealand v Tonga (women) at Eden Park, Auckland Fiji v Cook Islands (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby PNG v Cook Islands (women) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby Week Three – October 28-29 Australia v New Zealand (men) at AAMI Park, Melbourne Australia v New Zealand (women) at AAMI Park, Melbourne PNG v Fiji (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby Week Four – November 4-5 The Final of the men’s Pacific Cup tournament on November 4 in Hamilton, New Zealand The Final of the men’s Pacific Bowl tournament on November 5 at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Samoa and Papua New Guinea will take part in the 2023 men’s Pacific Championships, while Tonga travel to England for an historic three Test series. It is envisaged that Tonga will play in the 2024 Pacific Championships, possibly with another nation travelling to Europe, before England men’s and women’s teams come to Australia in 2025 for a revival of the Ashes. The 2023 Pacific Championships will include two match days in Australia, two in New Zealand and four in Papua New Guinea. The men’s tournaments will be spread across two pools from October 14 and culminate in finals in Hamilton and Port Moresby on November 4-5. Tonga women will join the other six nations in a series of international fixtures that make up the women’s 2023 Pacific Championships when they take on the Kiwi Ferns at Eden Park on October 21, along with the Kiwis and Samoa. The Jillaroos and Kiwi Ferns will meet twice in Townsville on October 14, as part of a double-header featuring the Kangaroos and Samoa, and in Melbourne on October 28, alongside the Australian and New Zealand men’s teams in a trans-Tasman double-header. “The Commission’s focus on growing the international game will combine with an equally strong desire to grow rugby league in the Pacific,” ARLC Commissioner the Hon Kate Jones said. “The 2023 Pacific Championships will showcase the best of international Rugby League in matches across three countries. Importantly, the international matches will be highlighted by both men’s and women’s matches. “The southern hemisphere tournaments will deliver on the broader NRL Pacific Strategy objectives - to create pathways for aspiring athletes, coaches, referees and administrators from the Pacific along with further growing international Rugby League.” Source: NRL .com