EXCITEMENT is mounting as Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, prepares to host the highly anticipated Oceania Rugby sevens championship.
Following the successful 2023 Pacific Games and other regional tournaments, Honiara is establishing itself as a hub for sports, culture, and tourism in the Pacific.
The upcoming tournament is expected to draw over 500 athletes, officials, delegates, and media, as well as a significant number of visitors to the Solomon Islands.
Teams from across the region will compete for qualification to the World Rugby 7s Challenger Series, with two men’s teams and one women’s team earning spots to compete on the global stage.
Tourism Solomons Chief Executive, Dagnal Dereveke, emphasised the event’s significance in highlighting the destination to a worldwide audience and boosting the tourism sector.
He adds the success of hosting major events like the 2023 Pacific Games has demonstrated the Solomon Islands’ ability to host such tournaments, attracting visitors to explore the islands beyond the sporting events.
The tournament’s pool draws have been announced, the Fiji men’s sevens development team has been placed in Pool A, alongside Tuvalu and Nauru.
In pool B, the Australian development team will face Vanuatu, American Samoa, and the Japan development team.
Pool C features Samoa, Cook Islands, Kiribati and New Caledonia, while Pool D includes Tonga, the Solomon Islands, Niue and Tahiti.
In the women’s division, the Fiji development team is grouped with the hosts, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu in Pool A.
Pool B consists of Samoa, American Samoa, and Vanuatu, while Pool C includes Tonga, the Cook Islands, and Kiribati.
