The Solomon Islands will make their international rugby league debut this evening against Vanuatu in Mackay.
The match has been in the works for the past few months and the Solomons coach Kevin Taylor says they've already built up a list of about 40 players keen to represent them.
Tonight's team is largely made up of Australian-based players but Taylor says plans are in place to include more players based in the Solomon Islands in the future.
He says there's a great buzz in camp ahead of tonight's match.
"It's probably the most exciting part of rugby league I've been involved with for a long time and the passion is there with the players - they really want to be a part of it. We're all looking at the next World Cup. Obviously this one's just about to kick off but the qualification to get the next one is big and the players realise that. Small steps to start with but who's to say where this goes over the next four years."
Kevin Taylor.
