On Tuesday, club coaches Max Ninness and Scott Stewart flew to Fiji with NRL assistant coach Kurt Wrigley and Toyota Cup head coach Steve Price to run some clinics with promising youngsters.

And on Friday, Fiji National Rugby League chairman Peni Musunamasi met Dragons officials at WIN Stadium to prepare for the Batis' World Cup campaign.

Fiji will play France in a pool game at WIN Stadium on Saturday, November 1 - the only World Cup game scheduled for Wollongong.

Some Dragons staff will link with the Fiji team, which will be based in Wollongong from October 25.

It is hoped the squad will visit schools, shopping centres and local league clubs during its stay.

Former Dragons Wes Naiqama and Ashton Sims are expected to play for Fiji at the World Cup.

The Cup will be the high point of a five-year association between the Dragons and Fiji rugby league.

The Fijian National Rugby League sent an SOS to the NRL in 2004 to help with development, coaching and referees and it was the Dragons who responded.

"There has been a long relationship between St George Illawarra and the Fiji National Rugby League," Musunamasi said.

"They have done a lot for us - coaching clinics and development, especially," he added. "Our secondary schools competition is now getting bigger and stronger thanks to the Dragons.

"We have the talent, but it is undeveloped. We need skills training, so we're happy Max will be with us," Musunamasi said.

The Southern Division Academy side makes an annual tour to Fiji to play against that nation's best secondary schools talent.

Musunamasi said the Fijian players would look forward to using the WIN Stadium facilities during their World Cup campaign.

"We don't have this in Fiji - we will appreciate the chance to use something like this," he said.

Dragons coaching and development manager Paul Everill said he was pleased that Fiji would be part of the World Cup.