Fiji Rugby Union

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Fiji Rugby Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in Fiji. It is divided into over 30 provincial unions. The Fiji Rugby Union is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) along with Samoa and Tonga. There are approximately 80,000 registered players from a total population of around 950,000.

FRU EXECUTIVES (2006)

PATRON His Excellency Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, CF, MBE, JP, President of Fiji and Rotuma

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Sir Moti Tikaram, Major-General Sitiveni Rabuka, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, Tom Vuetilovoni, Radike Qereqeretabua, Alipate Naiorosui.

PRESIDENT Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, Commander of the Royal Fiji Military Forces

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairman Keni Dakuidreketi has been FRU Chairman for the past four years and continues in this role for a third term. Hailing from Serea in Naitasiri, Keni holds a Degree in Property Management from the University of South Australia. He was Sports Minister in Fiji’s Interim Government of 2000, and runs his own property management and consultancy company.

Deputy Chairman Mosese Nailumu played halfback for Fiji in the 1970s and was President of the Suva Rugby Union until his election to the FRU Board in June. He is also the Director for Roads at the Public Works Department, and holds the position of FRU’s Deputy Chairman.

Ratu Timoci Tavavanua has spent 20 years in the banking industry and has an MBA from the University of the South Pacific. A former Fiji wing in the 1980s, he has also held the position of chairman of the Tailevu Rugby Union. Ratu Timoci currently doubles up as FRU’s acting CEO to run the day-to-day affairs of the Union.

Iowane Naiveli is the FRU Director of Finance. He is a Board member of the Reserve Bank of Fiji and a former chairman of the External Audit Committee, International Monetary Fund. He runs his own chartered accountancy firm in Suva.

Jon Apted, the Fiji Law Society member of the Board, is the Litigation Partner at Fiji's largest law firm, Munro Leys. A graduate of Auckland University and Harvard Law School, he has practised at the Fiji bar for 20 years. Many of those years were spent in Fiji's public service where he held a number of senior positions including head of Fiji's Elections Office and as its independent Permanent (Labour) Arbitrator. He drafted the FRU's current Constitution.

Anthony Tarr is the CEO and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific, which comprises 18,000 students and serves 12 member countries in the South Pacific. He is a graduate of Cambridge, Canterbury and Natal universities and has held senior positions in the corporate and academic sectors in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. He has served as President of a rugby club in Australia and was for six years chairman of a Queensland organization for disabled athletes.

Rafaele Kasibulu hails from Tunuloa in Cakaudrove, and is Manager Corporate Projects for the Reserve Bank of Fiji. He has been President of the Marist Rugby Club in Suva for 15 years and also served as Treasurer and Chairman of the Suva Rugby Union for seven years.

Tevita Koroi is a school principal by profession and is also President of the Fijian Teachers Association, and Vice President of the Council of Pacific Education. He was elected as Chairman of the Naitasiri Rugby Union early in 2006 and currently serves on a number of Education and Trade Union Boards.

Jeremy Duxbury holds an Honours Degree in Business Finance and Economics from the University of East Anglia in the UK. He has worked in sports journalism for the past 15 years in Japan and Fiji, and founded Teivovo rugby magazine in 1999, the Teivovo.com website in 2000, and the Rakavi yearbook in 2004. He also organised the Fiji Rugby Awards for three years, has long been a supporter of grassroots rugby in Fiji.

ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua

GAMES COMMITTEE

Rafaele Kasibulu (Chairman) Tevita Koroi Mosese Nailumu

AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE

Iowane Naiveli (Chairman) Professor Anthony Tarr Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua

SPONSORSHIP COMMITTEE

Jeremy Duxbury (Chairman) Jon Apted Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua

STRUCTURE

In 2001, the FRU embraced professional rugby. Sweeping changes were made to the constitution, administration and management of Fiji rugby following loss-making seasons in 1999 and 2000 by the national body as it grappled with the demands of the new world of professional rugby.

Key in those changes was the appointment of the FRU's first paid chief executive, Pio Tikoisuva. Tikoisuva, a former Fiji captain, had a long and successful career in government and regional agency work before agreeing to become FRU chief executive.

Under the leadership of Tikoisuva Fiji Rugby decided after the 2003 World Cup that it would no longer sit back waiting for handouts from the IRB; if Fiji Rugby is to make it in the rugby world then it must make it happen for itself.

Since February 2004 Fiji Rugby has made the following appointments in order to achieve its International Rugby vision. In the past Fiji has only ever made one overseas appointment and that had been the head coach.

Head Coach WAYNE PIVAC (New Zealand) 2003 New Zealand “Coach of the Year”. Head Coach of the Auckland Rugby Team from 1999 – 2003. Successfully guided the Auckland NPC team to the Division 1 Championship title and holders of the coveted Ranfurly Shield. Never before had the Division 1 title and the Ranfurly Shield been held by the same team at the end of the season. Operations Manager and National Team Manager DEREK SAMPSON (New Zealand) 1999 Manager Auckland Blues. 1999 – 2003 Manager Auckland NPC Team. 1999 – 2003 Manager Rugby / Career Development Auckland Rugby.

Assistant Coach ILIVASI TABUA (former wallaby) Twice New Zealand National Rugby Sevens Champion Coach. Two years head coach of Ricoh in Japan. Video Analysis expert for the All Blacks in 2000.

Fitness Trainer VINCE KELLY (Australia) 2002 – 2003 Fitness trainer Auckland Development team. 2002 – 2003 Fitness trainer Auckland Academy. First class honors in exercise physiology – University of Queensland. 2000 – 2002 Queensland Academy of Sport Commonwealth / Olympic athletes.

Marketing Manager Jeremy Duxbury

B.Com, PG Dip Com, Certificate in Economic Development Marketing, economic development and rugby roles. Represented Portugal in tests and sevens rugby Registered Players The Fiji Rugby Union number of registered players is approximately 80,000. This is significant in a country with a total population of around 950,000. This gives an idea of how much rugby plays a part in Fijian society and indication of their large base of potential.

International 15’s Currently ranked on the top 15th in the world Fiji is the dominant team from the Pacific and the current Pacific Tri Nations Champions.

In 2005 Fiji is scheduled to play 9 tests including the All Blacks, NZ Maori, Italy, Wales, and the British Barbarians. These games will receive fantastic media exposure.

9-10 tests every year leading into the World Cup. In 2007 we aim to send the Fiji Rugby team to the Rugby World Cup fully prepared and to become the team that everyone will remember from the tournament.

International 7’s The Fiji 7’s team is currently ranked up with the best teams in the world. Fiji plays on the IRB Rugby Sevens circuit which takes in 7 tournaments around the world and receives excellent media exposure.

Tournaments in 2006 will be held at Dubai (UAE), George (South Africa), Wellington (NZ), Los Angeles (USA), Singapore, London (Eng) and Bordeaux (Fra). These tournaments have an exceptional atmosphere in front of sell out crowds.

High Performance Unit Fiji Rugby has just accepted a tender to develop a first High Performance Unit solely for the Fiji Rugby Union. This is to be constructed at the tourism resort area Denarau Island, near Nadi airport.

The High Performance Unit will comprise of: Two world class rugby fields Weight gym, Swimming and rehab pool, Accommodation for 60 players and management, Food and beverage facilities.

The facility will be completed to “live in” stage by July 2005 at which time it is envisaged that our athletes will live in the facility for up to 200 days per year.

Fijian rugby players have never been developed in a full time environment as professional athletes such as occurs in other major unions. The potential of the High Performance Unit is awesome, for example, because of poverty most players are lacking iron due to poor diets, with players predominantly living at the High Performance Unit proper nutritional standards can be maintained and it’s thought that even this will raise their performance level 30%.

Domestic and Other Competitions To help achieve a stronger base of players who can step up to international rugby we created a professional 5 team competition (similar in design to the Super 12). Fiji currently has 12 Division One teams, we regionally selected 5 teams made up of the best players from the 12 Division One teams and created a more competitive competition that leads on and provides a higher level of competitive domestic rugby.

It also gave us a platform with which to improve the players in areas of nutrition and discipline by working with smaller player groups i.e. 125 players rather than 400.

Super sides competition - development of paid base of players for international level.

Domestic Competition - heartland rugby between traditional rivals Farebrother-Sullivan Cup - Challenge Shield type excitement

Domestic 7’s- showcase for Fijian athleticism Other Fiji National Teams - including Fiji A “Warriors” and age group international teams.

Women - development of national competition and national side. They expect an invitation to the next Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Indo-Fijian team - development through all parts of society. They expect to go to the Asia Games.

[edit] History

The Colonial National Bank sponsor Fiji's first professional league.

By 1904 a club competition had been formed, but the man who inspired the growth of the sport arrived in Fiji in 1913 - PJ 'Paddy' Sheehan was a New Zealand plumber who came to Suva to work on the Grand Pacific Hotel. He was a former captain of Otago, and, with his fellow tradesmen from New Zealand and Australia, he formed the Pacific Rugby Club - the first Fijian rugby union club. By the end of their first meeting three other clubs were planned and later formed United Services, Cadets and Rewa. Together these clubs formed the Fiji Rugby Football Union although matches only took place in Suva. The crews of visiting warships provided frequent opposition and because of this the first regular club, Davies was formed.

A year later, a so-called 'native competition' began under the leadership of Ratu Epeli Ganilau and the first clubs were Taipou, Tarirere, Hill and Ofisa (Police) RFC. The same year a Fiji Native Union was begun and became affiliated to the Fiji RFU.

In 1945 The Native Rugby Union had ceased to exist, and by 1953 Fiji and the capital Suva had separate unions. The Fiji Rugby Football Union was renamed Fiji Rugby Union in 1963.

They joined to the International Rugby Board in 1987 when Fiji were invited to take part in the inaugural World Cup.

Political unrest in Fiji during 2000 forced the FRU to accept the cost of hosting international meets in Samoa, instead of Fiji.

Fiji were awarded 'second tier' status by the International Rugby Board which entitles them to funding from the IRB. The FRU have planned to build a High Performance Unit on Denaru Island near Nadi intended to house 50 top local players all year round. There are also plans to build a 20,000 seater stadia. However the funding for this has yet to be agreed and Fiji's economy is unlikely to be able to sustain the running costs.

[edit] See also

• Fiji national rugby union team
• Fiji national rugby union team (sevens)
• Colonial Cup

[edit] External links

• Official site
• FRU news from Teivovo
• Pacific Islanders Rugby Team Supporters Site