Oceania Cup

The team comprised athletes from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Norfolk Island.

The competition pitted athletes from the three regions in Oceania with Melanesia garnering the most points with 273 points, followed by Polynesia in second with 196; Australia in third with 190; Micronesia in fourth with 163; and the host nation finished fifth with 138.

Oceania Rugby said the decision was made after the team were forced into quarantine for 18 days – which would run through the tournament.

One of the players who arrived in Fiji was suspected of having measles, and tests were conducted on Sunday.

A senior official at the Fiji health ministry, Aalisha Sahukan, said the risk of infection was deemed too high for the Tongan team to participate.

The decision has forced a new schedule to be drawn up for the rest of the tournament.

The three sides make up Group B of the Oceania Cup with the top side being promoted to Group A.

Bati coach Brandon Costin was looking forward to the challenge starting with Samoa this weekend although he admitted it would be tough against Toa Samoa with some key players unavailable, including Cronulla Sharks second rower Jayson Bukuya.

Costin said they will would to be at their best if they have any chance of winning on Saturday.

RLIF CEO Nigel Wood confirmed on the eve of Saturday’s opening round of Oceania Cup matches between New Zealand and Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium and Samoa and Papua New Guinea at Leichhardt Oval that the international body wanted to play games in the Pacific islands.

An RLIF meeting in Singapore earlier this month agreed that the Oceania Cup would be staged mid-year and at the end of the season on an annual basis, except in 2021 and 2025 when the World Cup is held.

Under the plan that will be put to players associations on both sides of the globe for consultation, Great Britain will tour the southern hemisphere next year and face the Pacific nations and New Zealand, but not Australia.

The Kangaroos will then take a tour of Great Britain at the end of 2020 in a bid to ramp up interest ahead of the 2021 World Cup there the following year.

A new-look team featuring four Olympic gold medallists, five debutantes and three recalled former internationals defeated Samoa 28-19 in the men's final, having dispatched American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Tonga in pool play and Australia in the semi finals.

Interim coach Naca Cawunibuca said the team was on an extended honeymoon for a long time following their success in Rio.

But after spending only a fortnight together in camp, he said their performances at the weekend were encouraging.

Cook Islands won the biennial event two years ago but will not defend their title, choosing to focus their limited resources on November's Olympic Sevens Qualifier.

Newcomers American Samoa open proceedings against Solomon Islands at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, followed by hosts Papua New Guinea against Tahiti, in the first round of matches.

The General Manager of Rugby PNG, Frank Genia, says pride and silverware aren't the only things on up for grabs.