“The role of the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup in the development of the Game in the Pacific Islands over the past two years has been significant,” said International Rugby Board Chairman Dr Syd Millar.

“The Tournament has grown to become a key fixture on the global Rugby calendar attracting strong crowds, producing competitive matches and above all proving pivotal in preparing locally-based players in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga for the Test arena.”

“The Tournament is a key element of the IRB’s unprecedented three-year global strategic investment programme aimed at driving the competitiveness of the global Game and provides an opportunity for over 180 players in the Islands to be exposed to be tested in a high intensity international representative competition that importantly bridges the gap between domestic and international competition."

The 2008 Tournament follows the completion of Fiji’s Colonial Cup, Samoa’s National Provincial Championship and Tonga’s Provincial Championship and provides the coaches of the three national teams with a competitive player development pathway just ahead of the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2008 which kicks off in May.

“Coupled with the excellent work of the High Performance Units established in each of the Islands, the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup has grown to become a pivotal platform for national squad selection,” said the International Rugby Board’s General Manager for the Pacific Islands, Will Glenwright.

"Indeed this year 48 locally-based players progressed through the Tournament to represent their country at test level in the IRB Pacific Nations Cup with several advancing to make their mark at Rugby World Cup,

Ilivasi Tabua, who guided Fiji to the quarter-finals of a Rugby World Cup Tournament for the first time in the Tier 2 Union’s history, is in no doubt that the competitiveness of the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup played an important role in preparing players for the Tournament in France.

“The 2007 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup really helped blood our local players who had little or no previous exposure at Test level. Many of these players took a step up and made the Fiji Test side in the IRB Pacific Nations Cup, and some went all the way and did their country proud at the Rugby World Cup.

“There’s a whole queue of top provincial players in Fiji waiting their turn to give it a go for their country. The IRB Pacific Rugby Cup provides this pathway. Come Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand I expect that a large percentage of the squad will have honed their skills in the Tournament>"

Upolu Samoa begins its title defence away to 2007 beaten finalists Tau’uta Reds in Nuku’alofa on April 19, while Fiji Warriors face Tautahi Gold in Lautoka and 2006 champions Savai’i Samoa plays Fiji Barbarians in Apia. Four further rounds will follow on consecutive weekends before the top two ranked teams contest the 2007 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup final on May 24.

IRB Pacific Rugby Cup 2008 schedule:

Round 1

Friday April 18

Fiji Warriors vs Tautahi Gold, Churchill Park, Lautoka, 7pm

Savai'i Samoa vs Fiji Barbarians, Marist Stadium, Apia, 4pm

Saturday April 19

Tau'uta Reds, vs Upolu Samoa, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa, 3pm

Round 2

Friday April 25

Fiji Barbarians vs Upolu Samoa, National Stadium, Suva, 7pm

Saturday April 26

Savai'i Samoa vs Fiji Warriors, Prince Edward Park , Savaii, 3pm

Tau'uta Reds vs Tautahi Gold, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa, 3pm

Round 3

Friday May 2

Upolu Samoa vs Fiji Warriors, Marist Stadium, Apia, 3pm

Tautahi Gold vs Savai'i Samoa, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa, 3pm

Saturday May 3

Fiji Barbarians vs Tau'uta Reds, Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka, 3pm

Round 4

Friday May 9

Fiji Warriors vs Tau'uta Reds, Prince Charles Park, Nadi, 7pm

Tautahi Gold, vs, Fiji Barbarians, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa, 3pm

Saturday May 10

Upolu Samoa vs Savai'i Samoa, Marist Stadium, Apia, 3pm

Round 5

Friday May 16

Tau'uta Reds vs Savai'i Samoa, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa, 3pm

Saturday May 17

Fiji Warriors vs Fiji Barbarians, Subrail Park, Labasa 3pm

Upolu Samoa vs Tautahi Gold, Marist Stadium, Apia, 3pm

Final

Saturday May 24

1st Place Team vs 2nd place team (Hosted by top ranked team)