World Rugby officials will be in the country this week to inspect the facilities as Samoa gets ready to host the Pacific Challenge Cup in May this year.

The Pacific Challenge Cup is played by Pacific teams with mostly local-based players in development squads who are yet to represent their senior national sides. Samoa has won only the competition twice after 15 tournaments.

Lakapi Samoa Chief Executive Officer Faleomavaega Vincent Fepuleai said they were getting ready to meet the World Rugby officials.

“Lakapi Samoa is currently preparing and liaising with World Rugby to meet all hosting obligations and standards to host the PRC tournament,” he said.

“World Rugby officials will be in Samoa next week to inspect facilities at Apia Park and meet with relevant Government officials together with Lakapi Samoa to discuss logistics and any other pertinent issues to address.”

Lakapi Samoa is yet to announce a squad and this will be a chance for local players who have been performing in the local competition.

Faleomavaega said the lack of local competition is a factor but they have a wider base of players who have been training with Lakapi Samoa's High Performance Unit.

“No team selection has been finalised other than a wider squad of players currently in the Lakapi Samoa HPU academy,” he said.

“Team will be selected from best available local players from the local domestic competitions, the Academy and possible overseas players to some key positions if required.”

The Manusina team will be mentored by Head Coach Afa Hanipale.

In terms of performances by country, Fiji has won the Pacific Challenge Cup nine times, Samoa has won it twice, Tonga once, while invitational teams from Japan and Argentina have also won the competition.

The competition is resuming after taking a break in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.