History will be made in Honiara today when Solomon Islands host Vanuatu in their first rugby league test on home soil.
It will be the third test between the Melanesian rivals, with Vanuatu winning their previous encounters in Mackay in 2013 and Port Vila last year.
Vanuatu and Solomon Islands pose for a photo following the 2016 test in Port Vila. Photo: Supplied / Ron Zwiers / Vanuatu Rugby League
Solomon Islands Rugby League President, Jerry Maiki Tengemoana, said all but one of their squad lives in the country and they're hoping familiar surroundings can spur them to victory.
"I think we have the advantage now, having the country behind us on our home court, but Vanuatu is also an experienced side," Tengemoana said.
"The code is new to us so we have a pretty good team that's been trained so hard in the last couple of weeks and I'm sure they don't want to disappoint their country on their home soil so I think that's the motivation behind them".
While both countries are among the minnows of the international game, Vanuatu Rugby League President Tom Carlo said the test was a valuable step towards the Emerging Nations World Championship, being held in Sydney next November.
"We pretty much would like to give our boys the opportunity to feature in...the Emerging Nations Cup tournament that we are looking forward to next year," he said.
"Obviously, after this international test match with Solomon Islands, when the boys get back [home], we will probably give them a break and then they will be back into it again and prepping themselves for the Emerging Nations Cup," Carlo said.
"We know that...it's going to be a challenge for them, obviously, and a good exposure for them obviously on an international level as well".
Vanuatu is currently ranked 37th and Solomon Islands 40th in the latest world rankings.
