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International rugby comes to Pukekohe later this week with Navigation Homes Stadium playing host to the Rugby World Cup qualifying match between the Cook Islands and Tonga.

Tonga v Cook Islands – Buy tickets here: https://bit.ly/36HQE4K 

The match corresponds with the Counties Power Heat’s opening home match of the Farah Palmer Cup season – with the Heat facing Bay of Plenty from 2.35pm before the international match kicking off at 5:35pm.

Counties Manukau Rugby Union chief executive Aaron Lawton is thrilled to bring international rugby to Pukekohe for the first time in a number of years.

“It is fantastic to bring a game of this quality to our region,” Lawton said. “We have some players from our region that will be competing in the match, and it will be great to have their friends and family along to cheer them on.

“It will be a big day with the Counties Power Heat playing their first home game of the Farah Palmer Cup campaign.

“There has been a lot of hard work gone in from the team here at the Union to make this happen and I thank them for their efforts in making this possible.

“It has been a goal of the Union’s to use Navigation Homes Stadium more and I am thrilled to be holding international rugby and high-level football at the facility within the space of a couple of weeks.”

The winner of this fixture will go on to play the newly crowned Asia Rugby Championship 2021 winners. Hong Kong, Malaysia and Korea are in the running for that spot.