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Perform at the World Cup to be noticed. This was what Argentina did in 2007 and now Fiji have done it in 2023. ARN can confirm that the performances of the Flying Fijians have results in ongoing discussions for Fiji to join the Rugby Championship starting in 2024.
A source close to Fijian Head Coach Simon Raiwalui has confirmed the discussions. If Fiji are to join the Rugby Championship then the competition would expand from four to five competitors. This would require structural changes from the exciting model wherein each team plays the other over two matches.
Played from 1996-2021, the Tri Nations was an annual competition between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Argentina joined the Tri Nations in 2012. This happened almost five years after Los Pumas finished third at the World Cup in France in 2007. The comparative speed of Fiji’s access the the competition in 2024 is highly positive.
Fiji is the only Southern Hemisphere country to have played in every Men’s Rugby World Cup that is not involved in the Rugby Championship. Additional Southern Hemisphere teams at Rugby World Cups include Chile, Uruguay, Samoa, Tonga, Uruguay, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
The Flying Fijians reached the Quarter Finals of Rugby World Cups 1987 and 2007. The team will face Portugal this coming weekend in the final match of the group stage. Fiji are firm favorites to win and to face England in the Quarter Finals.
Australia’s early exit from the World Cup is due to Fiji. The Fijians were in control against the Wallabies, defeated Georgia and received unbalanced officiating in their narrow loss against Wales. Fiji are now getting a double dream opportunity: World Cup Quarter Final and Rugby Championship.
Fiji’s professional team, the Fijian Drua contains 17 players selected by Fiji for Rugby World Cup 2023. The Drua debuted in Super Rugby in 2022. Los Jaguares played in Super Rugby from 2016-2020.
Despite being permanent parts of Rugby World Cups, matches between Fiji and Argentina have been very rare both at and outside of World Cups. The teams last met in 2003. Argentina won the home test match 49-30 in Córdoba.
