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The Fiji Rugby Union is in talks with their Australian counterparts and World Rugby about entering a Fijian team in the National Rugby Championship as early as next season.
The team would be based on the island and play home and away games under a possible expanded NRC competition in 2017, and would be made up of Fiji-based players.
The plan, hatched some months ago by Fiji coach John McKee, ARU high performance boss Ben Whitaker and World Rugby high performance general manager Peter Horne, would see World Rugby fund the team under its Oceania program.
It is still some months off official approval but would represent a major coup by the ARU. Australia and New Zealand are often criticised for drawing players from the region but doing little to help Pacific Island nations strengthen their own programs.
Fiji see joining the NRC as a way to help stem the talent drain from the island nation by building their own pathway for home grown players. Eventually, they hope it will also help lure back players plying their trade all over Europe.
The move comes as the Western Sydney Rams prepare to welcome to their roster high profile new recruit and Fiji sevens Olympic gold medallist, Vatemo Ravouvou, who has represented Fiji more than 100 times in sevens and scored 44 tries in the 2015/16 World Series.
Ravouvou and Fiji Warriors player Cyril Reece are waiting on visa approval, expected this week, before they fly out to join the Rams for their next home game against Perth Spirit, at Concord Oval next week. They will join Wallaby Will Skelton and Waratahs Hugh Roach and Senio Toleafoa in the Rams squad.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/au...01-gr6jaz.html