Cairns to host Fiji Airways Rugby 7s tournament

More than 500 competitors across 36 teams from Australia and the Pacific are scheduled to arrive in Cairns for the Fiji Airways Rugby 7s competition on October 30 and 31.

Participants are expected to travel from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands, as well as various Australian cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Darwin. Ili Cava, president of the Fiji Community Association FNQ, noted that interest in the tournament has grown, highlighting the event's potential to strengthen rugby connections across the region.

The competition will be held at Stan Williams Park, which recently underwent a $12 million upgrade including a new grandstand and modern amenities. Officials noted that the event leverages Cairns' air connectivity to the Pacific to promote the region as an international gateway for sporting training and tourism.