Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Flying Fijians receive financial breakthrough with World Cup looming

Ireland v Fiji – Autumn International – Aviva Stadium

The Pacific Players Association has helped broker a daily allowance increase for the Flying Fijians achieved against the backdrop of ongoing financial problems for the Fijian Rugby Union.

ADVERTISEMENT

It is good news for head coach Simon Raiwalui who is preparing his players for the Pacific Nations Cup and the Rugby World Cup with training camps designed to build team spirit and an understanding of what the squad means to the Islands nation. With the FRU admitting to a significant debt and recent problems over the payment of allowances to the Fijiana squad, another pay row would have been seriously damaging to the image of the sport in the country.

However, there has now been an assurance from the Fiji Rugby Union special administrator Simione Valenitabua that allowances and bonuses are ring fenced for the men’s squad with a reported increase in the daily payment to each player from $300 to $500.

Crucially, Valenitabua told local media negotiations had been undertaken with the union, the Pacific Players Association and the players. He said: “The board and I take player welfare seriously. If they are not looked after well, they will not do well in this World Cup.

“The negotiations or the discussions on player welfare not only entail allowances, there are also various other factors that the head coach and the management have put in place to encourage the players to do well at this World Cup.

“And we can only do well if we look after our players. Everything is budgeted for and is taken care of. There’s nothing amiss about this preparation and we wouldn’t want a situation where each of these players welfare is not looked after.”

There was also good news with major distributor Punjas announcing a deal with the Fiji Rugby Union to be the naming rights sponsor of the Fiji Water Flying Fijian and Ikale Tahi Tonga Test upcoming test match on July 22 and the Vodafone Fijiana against New Zealand Women’s A Team in September.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
SK 36 minutes ago
What is the future of rugby in 2025?

Set pieces are important and the way teams use them is a great indication of how they play the game. No team is showcasing their revolution more than the Springboks. This year they have mauled less and primarily in the attacking third. Otherwise they have tended to set like they are going to maul and then play around the corner or shove the ball out the back. They arent also hitting the crash ball carrier constantly but instead they are choosing to use their width or a big carrying forward in wider areas. While their maul is varied the scrum is still a blunt instrument winning penalties before the backs have a go. Some teams have chosen to blunt their set piece game for more control. The All Blacks are kicking more penalties and are using their powerful scrum as an attacking tool choosing that set piece as an attacking weapon. Their willingness to maul more and in different positions is also becoming more prominent. The French continue to play conservative rugby off the set piece using their big bruisers frequently. The set piece is used differently by different teams. Different teams play different ways and can be successful regardless. They can win games with little territory and possession or smash teams with plenty of both. The game of rugby is for all types and sizes and thats true in the modern era. I hope that administrators keep it that way and dont go further towards a Rugby League style situation. Some administrators are of the opinion that rugby is too slow and needs to be sped up. Why not rather empower teams to choose how they want to play and create a framework that favours neither size nor agility. That favours neither slow tempo play or rock n roll rugby. Create a game that favour both and challenge teams to execute their plans. If World Rugby can create a game like that then it will be the ultimate winner.

34 Go to comments
J
JW 5 hours ago
'Let's not sugarcoat it': Former All Black's urgent call to protect eligibility rules

Yep, no one knows what will happen. Thing is I think (this is me arguing a point here not a random debate with this one) they're better off trialing it now in a controlled environment than waiting to open it up in a knee jerk style reaction to a crumbling organtization and team. They can always stop it again.


The principle idea is that why would players leave just because the door is ajar?


BBBR decides to go but is not good enough to retain the jersey after doing it. NZ no longer need to do what I suggest by paying him to get back upto speed. That is solely a concept of a body that needs to do what I call pick and stick wth players. NZR can't hold onto everyone so they have to choose their BBBRs and if that player comes back from a sabbatical under par it's a priority to get him upto speed as fast as possible because half of his competition has been let go overseas because they can't hold onto them all. Changing eligibility removes that dilemma, if a BBBR isn't playing well you can be assured that someone else is (well the idea is that you can be more assured than if you only selected from domestic players).


So if someone decides they want to go overseas, they better do it with an org than is going to help improve them, otherwise theyre still basically as ineligible as if they would have been scorning a NZ Super side that would have given them the best chance to be an All Black.

147 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ What is the future of rugby in 2025? What is the future of rugby in 2025?
Search