test matches

After two years without a Test match, the Fiji Pearls netball team will play five international fixtures over the next three months but will miss this year's Mini Games.

The Test schedule was announced on Monday by Fiji Netball and begins with two Tests against South Africa in Suva on September 6 and 8.

Tests against Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland follow, to be played in Cardiff from October 5-8.

The Lions are in Rotorua where they'll face one of the strongest Maori All Black sides ever assembled tomorrow night.

Tonight though the All Blacks play Samoa in the Pasifika Challenge double header at Auckland's Eden Park right after Tonga play Wales.

The match marks the start of the All Blacks 2017 campaign and to kick it off they'll have a new captain - Highlander fullback Ben Smith is stepping into the role until the regular boss Kieran Read returns from injury.

Aside from Read's omission the All Blacks side is at full strength and there's good reason for it.

According to RNZI, the mid-year test window marks the beginning of Rugby World Cup qualifying for the three Pacific nations, who failed to earn direct entry to the 2019 tournament last year.

With only a three-week June window, Georgia and the three Pacific teams will play each other over consecutive weeks.