Global Rapid Rugby

The Fijian Latui and Manumā Samoa were among six teams from Australia, Asia and the Pacific competing in the 2020 campaign, which was initially suspended after the opening round of matches on 14 March.

Rapid Rugby CEO Mark Evans said the long-term travel restrictions in place as part of the worldwide fight against Covid-19 gave organisers no choice but to abandon the remaining nine rounds of the regular season and the grand final.

Six teams will compete for $1 million in prize money in a competition that features a number of rule changes that promote faster, attacking rugby.

Billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest put his money where his mouth was when the Force were axed from Super Rugby in 2017, pumping millions of dollars to set up GRR.

The Force played a series of exhibition games in 2018, which was followed by a Showcase Series last year.

But 2020 is the official launch of GRR, with competition points and a grand final berth now on the line.

The Samoan franchise were pipped 38-32 by the Fijian Latui in their Rapid Rugby debut in Lautoka last month before being outclassed 63-5 by the Western Force on Friday in Perth.

CEO Richard Fale said they wanted to be competitive on the field this season, but are already thinking long-term.

Imagine scoring tries that rake in not 5 or 7 but 9 points without even having to convert the try.

And then imagine all that in a rugby competition with a million Australian dollars as first prize.

Well, all those and more are about to hit Samoan and Fijian shores in the form of a fast developing new form of rugby union, Rapid Rugby.

Global Rapid Rugby has received World Rugby sanction to have a competition of clubs based in Asia, Western Australia, Fiji and Samoa.

The brainchild of Perth billionaire Andrew Forrest, Global Rapid Rugby is set to launch next year with teams from Australia, Fiji, Hong Kong, Samoa and Singapore confirmed for this year's series of exhibition matches between March and August.

Pukekohe's Navigation Homes Stadium is set to host Kafiga Samoa and Fijian Latui on June 7.

The two sides will be joined by the Western Force in a Pacific Showcase which starts in Suva next month.

The brainchild of billionaire Western Force owner Andrew Forrest, eight teams from Australia, Asia and the Pacific Islands were originally on board to contest a four-month season in 2019, including entries representing Fiji and Samoa.

Pacific Rugby Players CEO Aayden Clarke said that number had dropped to six, after two teams pulled out.

He was in contact with Global Rapid Rugby officials only a few days ago, to discuss player welfare issues for the impending campaign, but said yesterday it was revealed the competition would not go ahead at all.