The reason Scotland face Fiji at Murrayfield revealed as Nations Championship 'away' test breeds confusion
Gregor Townsend’s men are set to face the Pasifika side in the summer for the inaugural championships.
After an agreement between both parties and World Rugby, the Nations Championships match between Scotland and Fiji will take place in Edinburgh, rather than Suva.
The new-look competition offers chances for Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere sides to face each other more often in a more competitive format. The Nations Championship will take place every two years, in an attempt to keep international rugby competitive when there is no World Cup or Lions Tour.
The inaugural tournament will take place in the summer and autumn next year, with Scotland facing Argentina and South Africa away, as well as Fiji, in July, while they will host the All Blacks, Australia and Japan in November. If successful in the Group Phase, Gregor Townsend’s men will qualify for finals weekend at Twickenham, which will take place straight after the autumn tests.
The match is scheduled as a ‘home’ match for the Fijians, who will also be ‘hosting’ England in Liverpool and Wales in Cardiff, begging the question, why are they playing their home fixtures over 10,000 miles from where they should be?
Fiji ‘host’ Scotland at Murrayfield
The HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, where Fiji play their home games has a capacity of 15,446, which is 12,000 seats less than the Chichibunomiya Stadium in Japan - the smallest ground that will be utilised for the Championships. While there is no fixed rate capacity requirement set out by World Rugby, infrastructure and logistical issues including broadcasting capabilities, hospitality arrangements and transport links has led to the decision to play their home games elsewhere.
In terms of recent results, history tells us playing at Murrayfield will favour the Scots, with Fiji winning the last two times they played in Suva. The most recent of which was in July last year when they won 29-14. On the other hand, Scotland have never lost to the Pasifika side at home.
Despite the disappointment of playing their home games away, CEO of Fiji Rugby Union, Koli Sewabu is taking the positives from the agreement made, hoping it allows the Fijian side to showcase their abilities on a larger scale and ‘connect’ with Northern Hemisphere sides. In recent years they’ve developed a reputation of a side who play with flair as well as physicality.
‘We’re determined to make it feel like a home game’
He said: “Although our match against Scotland won’t be played in Fiji, we’re determined to make it feel every bit like a home game. Fans can expect a vibrant, festival-like atmosphere, a true celebration of Fijian rugby culture both on and off the pitch.
“We’ll be giving absolutely everything on the field, and playing in a world-class stadium makes the occasion even more special. We’re excited to share that stage with the incredible support we know will be there to lift us.
“It’s also a great opportunity to raise the profile of Fijian rugby, showcase our culture, and connect with our diaspora and fans from the Northern Hemisphere. The success of these fixtures will enable us to invest more into grassroots rugby supporting the continued growth and success of the team.”