The respective Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand have called for a Pacific Island team to be included into the Super 12 competition.
New Zealand's PM Helen Clark told the Dominion-Post that the issue would be on the agenda of the 16-nation Pacific Forum in Apia, Samoa, next week after Australian PM John Howard raised the issue on Wednesday.
"I'm happy to discuss the issue of Pacific representation in the Super 12 or whatever its successor may be with other leaders at the upcoming forum and convey the general feeling of those discussions to the NZRU [New Zealand Rugby Union]," Prime Minister Clark said.
"As chair of the Pacific Island forum for the past year, I have advocated for greater recognition and support of Pacific rugby to both the IRB [international Rugby Board] and the NZRU."
Pacific Islanders Rugby Alliance chief executive Charlie Charters welcomed the attitude of the region's leaders.
"It is a positive sign that more and more people are speaking clearly and with one voice - the Pacific needs to be on the inside of the SANZAR structure," he said.