Pacific Islanders To Play South Africa.

The Pacific Islanders’ inaugural rugby Test with
South Africa will be staged in Gosford North on July 17th, the
Pacific Islanders Rugby Alliance (PIRA) said on Sunday.

PIRA chief executive Charlie Charters said the Test against the
Springboks
would be a joint initiative between the NSW Rugby Union and media
tycoon John
Singleton’s STW Sports and Event company.

It will wrap up the Islanders’ first tour following the Test
against the
Wallabies in Adelaide on July 3rd, and their international with the All
Blacks
in Auckland on July 10th.

Charters said the involvement of Singleton’s STW – chaired by
Australia’s
1999 World Cup winning coach Rod Macqueen – was significant in
securing the
match.
“They were able to quickly see the potential interest and
have worked
closely with the New South Wales Rugby Union to ensure this fixture
takes
place,” Charters said.

STW runs the Gosford stadium, which hosted three pool matches of
the 2003
Rugby World Cup as well as the June 2001 fixture between the British
and Irish
Lions and Australia A.

As with the other Test matches, the net gate revenue and
sponsorship income
from the Gosford game will go to the rugby unions of Fiji, Samoa and
Tonga,
who own the Islanders team through the PIRA body.

Meanwhile, there was good news for the Australian Rugby Union with the news that Mat Rogers has signed with the Union for a further three years taking him through to the
2007
Rugby World Cup in France.

Rogers, who is recovering from an ankle injury which shortened his
Super 12
season, said he was pleased to have made the decision and was looking
forward
to returning to both the Wallabies and NSW Waratah squads.
“Last year was an awesome experience, playing in the Rugby
World Cup, and
I’ve certainly got my sights set on France,” Rogers said in an
ARU statement
released late Saturday.

“The rugby lifestyle and mateship is something that I’ve
really enjoyed.”

After switching to rugby for the 2002 season, Rogers has played 19
internationals for Australia, including the Rugby World Cup final
against
England here last November and more than 20 Super 12 matches with the
Waratahs.
“Pulling on a Wallaby jersey and singing the national anthem
in front of
packed home crowd is like nothing else in the world.”

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones said Rogers’ decision to sign for a
further
three years was pleasing.
“There is no question Mat is a talented player. His
transition from rugby
league has been outstanding and he will certainly be an asset to the
Wallabies
in the years to come,” Jones said.

AFP – 2004.