Rugby league in Fiji

Rugby league, or "rakavi saumi" as it is also known there, is a popular team sport played in Fiji since 1992 when the country was included in the Rugby League World Sevens.
History.
Fijian rugby union representatives Joe Levula and Orisi Dawai were the first Fijians to play rugby league after they were recruited to play professionally for the Rochdale Hornets in 1961. Voate Driu and Laitia Ravouvou joined the club the next year, with numerous others following throughout the 1960s and 1970s. These players largely remained in Rochdale after their careers.
The Fiji national rugby league team was formed to compete in the 1992 Rugby League World Sevens, featuring some high profile converts from the national rugby union sevens team. Rugby league was introduced into Fiji at that time with the creation of a local competition. Sitiveni Rabuka supported the sport in Fiji, serving as President of its governing body. Other players who transitioned to rugby league in that period included Ratu Orisi Cavuilati, Iosefo Bele, Luke Erenavula, Kaiava Salusalu, Kalaveti Naisoro, Fili Seru, Illiesa Toga and boxer Aisea Nama.
In 2020, the Kaiviti Silktails entered the NSWRL's third tier Ron Massey Cup, with entry to the second tier New South Wales Cup guaranteed for 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the plans were delayed by one year. The team draws its players from Fiji's local competition.
Competitions.
As of 2010, the Fiji National Rugby League competition consisted of 12 teams divided into 2 conferences (East and West). After the Grand Final, a Super 6 competition takes place among the best players from the FNRL. In September, a State of Origin-like series is played between the East and West conferences.
In 2016, the competition was restructured into zones from a Top 8 league of 14 Rounds and Finals. Each Zone plays their own competition with 16 teams going through from all 6 Zones into a knockout phase until the champion is decided in a Final.
Previous National Winners:
Each Zone comprises the following clubs:
Suva Zone:
Nasinu Zone:
Nadi Zone:
Ra Zone:
Lautoka Zone:
Nadroga Zone:
Inter Zone Championship.
Once the Zone Champions and National Knockout is decided each zone selects players to represent them in the Inter Zone Championship. Each Zone plays each other over 5 weeks before semi finals and a final is played.
Each Zone also has Under 20 teams and a Woman's team.
Zone teams are:
Previous Inter Zone Championship Finals:
Previous Under 20s Inter Zone Championship Finals:
Previous Women's Inter Zone Championship Finals:
Melanesian Club Championship.
The Melanesian Club Championship has been contested by the Fijian champions (at either club or zone level) and the winner of Papua New Guinea's Digicel Cup since 2015.
National teams.
The men's national team, known as the Bati, was formed in 1992 and have competed at 5 Rugby League World Cups (1995, 2000, 2008, 2013, and 2017). They achieved their best result as semi-finalists on three occasions, in 2008, 2013, and 2017.
The women's national team, known as the Bulikula, was reformed in 2018 and played a full international against the following year.