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Cape Town - SANZAR on Friday announced that Super Rugby will head to the Pacific Islands for the first time with Fiji hosting the Round 15 clash between the Chiefs and the Crusaders.
The match, to be played at Suva's ANZ Stadium, will see Fiji become the eighth nation to host a Super Rugby fixture, joining Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Japan, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
SANZAR Interim CEO, Brendan Morris, welcomed the exciting news.
"In 2016, Super Rugby is being delivered to more countries and more fans than ever before. Not only will we see games played in Argentina, Japan and Singapore for the first time in history, but we are delighted to partner with the Fijian Government, the Chiefs and event promoter Fortress to deliver the first ever match to the Pacific Islands.
"We thank everyone that has worked hard behind the scenes to deliver this history-making clash and we look forward to what will be an incredible occasion in Suva next July."
Chiefs CEO Andrew Flexman commented: “We know how much the Pacific Island people love their rugby and this year’s Test match between Manu Samoa and the All Blacks was testament to that.
“This is a great opportunity to take the Chiefs to Fiji and help promote the game in their country. Fijians have added a huge amount to New Zealand’s rugby heritage and it is fitting that we can give something back as well and expose our brand in a new territory.
“The fixture is a culmination of a lot of hard work by numerous parties, none more so than the game promoter Fortress Information Systems and the Government of Fiji. We should also acknowledge the New Zealand Rugby Players Association and our players for their support in this venture.
"We are a truly regional team and cover a vast area so want to connect with as many of our supporters as possible.”
Matthew Davey, founder and CEO of Fortress, added: “We are thrilled to be working with the Government of Fiji to help make this historic rugby match happen for the people of Fiji.
"It is real credit to the vision and innovation of all of our partners in the Government of Fiji, Fiji Sports Council, the Chiefs, Crusaders, New Zealand Rugby, New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association, SANZAR and Sky TV in backing this event and showcasing Fiji with the best rugby competition in the world."
Discounted tickets will be available for locals to watch the match, while ‘Chiefs Road Crew’ tour packages will be available for fans that would like to be part of this special match with all 2016 members automatically going in the draw to win a trip to experience this historic clash.
