Rugby league development in Fiji is being given fresh attention as the Asia Pacific Rugby League steps up efforts to strengthen the sport across its member countries.

The 12-day regional visit is focused on identifying opportunities to invest in and build stronger domestic pathways for the next generation of players.

New Zealand Rugby League chairman Justin Leddesdoff says the future of rugby league in Fiji is bright, with potential investment opportunities that could help grow the game over the coming years.

“The future is bright for rugby league in Fiji and we’re looking investments that will have the potential to come into the game over the next number of years. It’s just about having close relations and ensuring that we maximize those opportunities going forward. “

Asia Pacific Rugby League chairman Sandis Tsaka says the organisation is working with regional partners to identify ways to strengthen domestic competitions and create better pathways for players.

“We’ve been having discussions with our partners across the region about what we can do for the domestic game. Our elite games, as we’re announcing the world cup, has been a structured pathway for our elite players, but we feel that we can do a bit more within our region, for our domestic competitions.”

He says while elite competitions have provided a structured pathway for top players, more work is needed to support grassroots and domestic rugby league.

“The issues and challenges are the same across our region and our opportunities for supporting and growing our domestic pathways, especially with our various programs, are huge.”

After having already visited Tonga, the Cook Islands and Samoa, the focus now is on turning these discussions into long-term opportunities that can strengthen Fiji’s domestic competitions and grow the sport at all levels across the Asia Pacific.