Excitement filled the air at the Faleolo International Airport as Lakapi Samoa and the nation welcomed three international teams contesting in the World Rugby Pacific Challenge bringing more than 100 players and officials to Samoa.

The teams, Fiji Warriors, Japan XV, and Tonga were officially greeted in an ava ceremony and leis presented by the Miss Samoa and Miss Pacific Islands, Moemoana Safato'a Schwenke upon arrival.

Team Japan's head coach, Naoya Okubo, has brought a team of 28 players and 12 officials. He said most of the players and staff including himself are in Samoa for the first time.

"First time in Samoa but I have a lot of friends in Japan when I was a player like Alama Ieremia and Fidow Tiatia. The hospitality is welcoming," he told the Samoa Observer in an interview.

"Our preparations only started in February so it took two months before this tournament. Confident as always but we can adjust to the environment because these boys have not much experience playing overseas."

Asked whether the team was prepared for the hot weather especially since most of them haven't played and been to Samoa and the weather was getting hotter, he said 'Yes.'

"In the morning sessions, we train in the heat in the big rooms so we can try to adjust to the heat but this is more hotter than that," he said.

"We're going to be more challenging, we know it's going to be a more competitive but we're going to be more challenging in every game."

Tonga's team manager, Filokalafi Akau'ola said after multiple challenges in Tonga amid their training before their arrival, they are looking forward to their time in Samoa.

"There are a lot of young talents in Tonga and they'd like to achieve this kind of tournament and being in Samoa last year we didn't do well and this year we will and if we're going to win that will be a very good A-plus for us," he said.

"We started preparations in January and one of the challenges we had in Tonga was the weather and since last year, it's been raining all the way and it was too bad for us and the main field in Tonga was occupied by schools so we had to find somewhere else to train."

Upon arrival in Samoa, team Tonga is now looking forward to the challenge and training in the Samoan weather despite the spike in the temperature.

Fiji Warrior's halfback Jonathan Sorasora said this is his second time in Samoa and first time seeing the welcoming ava ceremony and he was looking forward to the brotherhood with the rest of the players from other teams.

"Samoa and Fiji have very similar aspects such as the culture and the weather and having been here before is an advantage for me but I am looking forward to the challenge," he said.

The Pacific Challenge will start Wednesday 10 April of this month with three rounds and six matches at  Apia Park.

Round 1: Match 1- Fiji Warriors vs Tonga; Match 2- Manuma Samoa vs Japan XV.

Round 2: Match 3- Fiji Warriors vs Japan XV; Match 4- Manuma Samoa vs Tonga.

Round 3: Match 5- Japan XV vs Tonga; Match 6- Manuma Samoa vs Fiji Warriors.

Samoa through Lakapi Samoa hosted the Pacific Challenge last year after 13 years and after six consecutive editions organised in Fiji (2015-20) since its rebranding as the Pacific Challenge. The World Rugby funded tournament returned to Samoa in 2023.

Meanwhile, the World Rugby continues to invest in various age-grade competitions throughout the world to support the pathway from junior teams to international test rugby.

The international teams will be welcomed again at the Samoa Tourism Fale on Monday to kickstart the week's preparations.